After 20 years leading the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Timothy Muffitt will conduct his final LSO program Friday night.
Maestro Timothy Muffitt has chosen to open his last Lansing Symphony concert with a bang: Antonin Dvořák’s “Carnival Overture.” The program also includes Rachmaninoff’s “Variations on a Theme by Paganini", LSO composer-in-residence Jared Miller’s “House of Dreams”, and Ottorino Resphigi’s “Pines of Rome."
In an interview with WKAR music host Jamie Paisley, Muffitt says he’s had a good run, leading the orchestra for two decades.
“It seems like a good time to pass it on,” he said. “There’s a whole generation of people out there waiting to make their mark, and I will be really pleased to be able to turn over an organization like this to whoever the next person is.”
Muffitt won’t be choosing his successor, but he will still be involved with the orchestra during the selection process. Five finalists will each lead a program next season, and Muffitt will help coordinate the programming for those concerts.
“To put together a program that not only allows them to show their strengths but also works within the resources of the organization and also makes sense for the audience,” Muffitt said. ”We'll be giving them as much flexibility as possible to make their artistic statement.”
When discussing his legacy in Lansing, Muffitt cites a few “home runs.” One is a partnership with the Gilmore Piano Competition, which provided not only an outlet for their musicians but also visibility on an international scale.
“People that came through here as part of that program that have now, you know, our audience are reading about in The New York Times and are seeing on stages throughout the world,” he added. “So, I've been really thrilled with that partnership.”
Muffitt is also proud of a partnership with The Robin Theatre in Lansing. These small-scale programs have focused on works by living composers from Michigan.
“It's not in a traditional concert hall. It's in the Robin Theatre, which is in REO Town [Lansing], and it's a used bookstore with a lovely little stage. And the format is different too; it's highly casual; instead of, instead of three works that are 20 minutes long, we do several works that are five or six minutes long.”
The maestro also points to the LSO’s composer-in-residence program, which has produced works by Patrick Harlin and Jared Miller. New music has long been a thrust for the LSO, and Muffitt says the program has elevated that mission.
“Now, we're not only just having a general nurturing of composers, we're choosing a composer to give, to create an immersive experience, an immersive experience for the composer, and an immersive experience for our audience to get to see that this is a living, breathing human being that walks through life much the same way as anyone else does," he said.
You can see more from Jamie Paisley’s interview with Timothy Muffit on the WKAR YouTube channel.
The Masterworks concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 15 in the Cobb Great Hall of Michigan State University’s Wharton Center. “Pines of Rome” will be Timothy Muffitt's last turn with the baton with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra.
WKAR music host Jody Knol will lead a preview conversation with Muffitt, soloist Jon Nakamatsu, and composer-in-residence Jared Miller at 6:45 p.m.
The LSO is a financial supporter of WKAR.
UPCOMING ARTS EVENTS
The 63rd East Lansing Art Festival is this weekend. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 16 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday May 17. WKAR will be there on Saturday with appearances by some of our hosts at the Ann Street Plaza stage.
The Jackson Symphony Orchestra will be joined by Jeans ‘N Classics for an evening of Pink Floyd Music Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. at the Potter Center.
The Capital Area Blues Society’s annual Blues Brawl is coming up. The winner will go on to compete at the 2027 International Blues Competition in Memphis. That's Sunday, May 17 at 4 p.m. at the Fraternal Order of Eagles on West St. Joseph Street in Lansing.
Interview Transcript
Scott Pohl: With Inside the Arts, I'm Scott Pohl. After 20 years leading the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Timothy Muffitt will conduct his final LSO program Friday night.
For Inside The Arts this week, I have more on Muffitt’s Lansing swan song.
Maestro Timothy Muffitt has chosen to open his last Lansing Symphony concert with a bang: Antonin Dvořák’s “Carnival Overture.”
(Soundbite of music, “Carnival Overture” by Antonin Dvořák)
The program also includes Rachmaninoff’s “Variations on a Theme by Paganini," LSO composer-in-residence Jared Miller’s “House of Dreams” and Ottorino Resphigi’s “Pines of Rome”.
In an interview with WKAR music host Jamie Paisley, Muffitt says he’s had a good run, leading the orchestra for two decades.
Timothy Muffitt: It seems like a good time to pass it on. There’s a whole generation of people out there waiting to make their mark, and I will be really pleased to be able to turn over an organization like this to whoever the next person is.
Pohl: Muffitt won’t be choosing his successor, but he will still be involved with the orchestra during the selection process. Five finalists will each lead a program next season, and Muffitt will help coordinate the programming for those concerts.
Muffitt: To put together a program that not only allows them to show their strengths but also works within the resources of the organization and also makes sense for the audience. We'll be giving them as much flexibility as possible to make their artistic statement.
Pohl: When discussing his legacy in Lansing, Muffitt cites a few “home runs.” One is a partnership with the Gilmore Piano Competition, which provided not only an outlet for their musicians but also visibility on an international scale.
Muffitt: People that came through here as part of that program that have now, you know, our audience are reading about in The New York Times and are seeing on stages throughout the world. So, I've been really thrilled with that partnership.
Pohl: Muffitt is also proud of a partnership with The Robin Theatre in Lansing. These small-scale programs have focused on works by living composers from Michigan.
Muffitt: It's not in a traditional concert hall. It's in The Robin Theatre, which is in REO Town. And, it's a used bookstore with a lovely little stage. And the format is different too; it's highly casual; instead of three works that are 20 minutes long, we do several works that are five or six minutes long.
Scott Pohl: The maestro also points to the LSO’s composer-in-residence program, which has produced works by Patrick Harlin and Jared Miller. New music has long been a thrust for the LSO, and Muffitt says the program has elevated that mission.
Muffitt: Now, we're not only just having a general nurturing of composers, we're choosing a composer to give, to create an immersive experience, an immersive experience for the composer, and an immersive experience for our audience to get to see that this is a living, breathing human being that walks through life much the same way as anyone else does.”
(Soundbite of music, “Pines of Rome” by Ottorino Resphigi)
Pohl: You can see more from Jamie Paisley’s interview with Timothy Muffit on the WKAR YouTube channel.
Friday’s Masterworks concert starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Cobb Great Hall of MSU’s Wharton Center. “Pines of Rome” will be Timothy Muffitt's last turn with the baton with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra.
WKAR music host Jody Knol will lead a preview conversation with Muffitt, soloist Jon Nakamatsu, and composer-in-residence Jared Miller at 6:45.
With Inside The Arts, I’m Scott Pohl.
(Soundbite of music and applause fading out)
