Composer Eric Nathan, in residence with New England Philharmonic, and conducting opening night performance. Rebecca Fay photography
Showing that persistence is key to survival, the New England Philharmonic begins a new season this month with works that reflect its four decades of music-making.
Much has changed since NEP last performed in March 2020. Longtime music director Richard Pittman suffered a severe stroke that same month, and is recuperating. Pittman has officially retired, and the orchestra will host conductor auditions for his replacement throughout the season.
But for this opening concert, Oct. 16 at All Saints Parish in Brookline, NEP’s composer-in-residence Eric Nathan takes the podium. Nathan, in planning the season with concertmaster Danielle Maddon, is continuing the orchestra’s focus on contemporary work.
“Every concert has a premiere, another contemporary piece that has been performed already, one historical work, and a piece with a soloist,” Nathan says. That formula—initiated by Pittman—makes for an inclusive mix of ideas and artists.
This opening program includes Nathan’s “the space of a door,” Hannah Kendall’s “The Spark Catchers” and Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite.” Each concert will also include a work dedicated to Pittman, and for this opening concert his longtime collaborator Bernard Hoffer has contributed “Fanfare for Dick.”
“Bernie’s fanfare captures some of Dick’s qualities,” Nathan says. “Elegant and playful—it winks at you.”
Pittman did not found NEP, but his guidance over the past two decades defines its approach, much like another orchestra that he did found, Boston Musica Viva. His focus has always been on collaboration and living composers.
“Dick’s a genius at putting the best people around him,” says Robert Pape, executive director of Boston Musica Viva. “There’s a reason Eric Nathan is composer-in-residence at NEP. Dick makes an organization better for the next person.”
Composers-in-residence are not usually so fundamentally involved with orchestras, and Nathan is energized by the possibilities.
“This is more than just writing music, and giving a talk at the premiere,” he says. “Working with the players, bringing in pieces, championing other voices in the field—it’s such a direct role in the life of an orchestra. This is what a composer-in-residence can be.”
Nathan makes his orchestral conducting debut in this performance. “The space of a door” was premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2016, and was recorded last year by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. The podium debut continues a busy month for Nathan: his “Opening” was premiered for the start of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra season, on Oct. 1.
“Conducting and composing are more linked than I thought,” Nathan says. “With my music, I have a vision, and then it’s notated for other humans to interpret. But working with the players, you hear different things. ‘The space of a door’ has grown with me, and matured.
“Coming back to conduct this orchestra, to perform, sitting in a room together—it’s like a ritual from the past, an analog time,” he says. “It really is vitally meaningful. Listening is so different sitting next to someone else.”
The New England Philharmonic opens its season on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 8:00 p.m., in All Saints Parish, 1773 Beacon St., Brookline. For tickets and information visit nephilharmonic.org or call 855 463-7445.
Keith Powers covers music and the arts for Gannett New England, Leonore Overture and Opera News. Follow @PowersKeith; email to keithmichaelpowers@gmail.com.