Conductor of BSO adds post in China Li says appointment won’t affect U.S. duties

BANGOR – Several months into his inaugural season as music director and conductor of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, Xiao-Lu Li has accepted a prestigious appointment as chief conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra. In his new position, he will be required to spend six weeks every summer and three weeks each fall and spring in Beijing. In Bangor, he conducts five classical concerts plus a holiday concert and various public events throughout the year.

In a letter sent to the BSO board of directors last week, Li, who is in China this week, explained that he does not plan to reduce time spent with his American orchestras, and that his appointment to the world-class symphony will serve to enhance the position of his orchestras in the United States.

“This is a great honor for a Chinese-American,” Li wrote.

A native of Shanghai, China, Li currently splits his professional time between Bangor and the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra in New London. Last year, he signed a contract with ECSO extending his tenure there through 2005. Li recently resigned as music director for the Acadiana Symphony in Lafayette, La., where he lives with his wife and two children. Earlier this month, Li auditioned for a similar post at the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony in North Dakota. If hired in April when the symphony is scheduled to announce its decision, Li will lead four orchestras, a juggling act that is increasingly familiar to music directors internationally.

“This is very exciting for both his American symphonies,” BSO executive director Susan Jonason said Monday. “To have a conductor at this level raises our level as well, especially in the recognition we would receive. I’m not worried about him keeping his commitment to the symphony here because in this first season with Xiao-Lu, we’ve come across some unexpected obstacles and he has always found a way to fulfill his commitment. I know he wouldn’t have taken on the Bangor symphony if he didn’t have a vision and a commitment. It may take a little extra work to coordinate things but the burden will fall to him and he’s a person of extraordinary energy.”

The China National Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1960. During its 52-week season, the CNSO pursues a dual mission of exposing Chinese audiences to Western symphonic masterpieces and, during its annual world tours, to bringing modern and ancient Chinese music to the ears of the world. The CNSO also has established a reputation for supporting Chinese composers in creating new symphonic works. Many world-class musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma and Anne-Sophie Mutter have performed with the nation’s leading traditional music ensemble and its roster of guest conductors includes Seiji Ozawa, Kurt Mazur and Charles Dutoit.

In February, Li will be in the Bangor area for more than a week, working with schoolchildren and preparing the orchestra for its next classical concert on March 9.