On February 17, 18, & 19th the San Francisco Symphony presented a program honoring the late Michael Morgan. This concert was planned by Morgan, the long time conductor of the Oakland Symphony, as his subscription debut with the S.F. Symphony. It was an eclectic collection of music headlined by Florence Price’s third symphony and Johannes Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody with mezzo-soprano Melody Wilson and the Symphony Chorus led by Anthony Trecek-King. Below are two reviews of the concert.
San Francisco Chronicle Review:
S.F. Symphony honors Michael Morgan’s memory with program he planned – Joshua Kosman
Excerpt: The third member of Thursday’s conductorial tag team was Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, who recently joined the Symphony’s staff as resident conductor of engagement and education. Together with mezzo-soprano Melody Wilson and the men of the Symphony Chorus led by Anthony Trecek-King, he brought an interior glow to Brahms’ “Alto Rhapsody” and a high degree of expressive directness to three spirituals (“My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord,” “Give Me Jesus” and “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”) in luminous arrangements by composer Jack Perla. Read more
S.F. Classical Voice Review:
Young Conductors Take the Spotlight in SF Symphony’s Michael Morgan Tribute – Michael Zwiebach
Excerpt: In the end, it took three conductors to handle the concert that Michael Morgan had set for himself. The performances at SF Symphony last weekend were led by Earl Lee, Akiko Fujimoto, and Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. Lee and Fujimoto made their debuts here, while Bartholomew-Poyser, who is the orchestra’s resident conductor of engagement and education, was conducting his first subscription concert.
Morgan was so idiosyncratic in his programming style and so widely versed in music that perhaps it was necessary to replace him with three people, but the conductor, who died unexpectedly in August, was a passionate promoter of young talent, so the Symphony’s decision to call on younger conductors was also a respectful tribute to the man himself. The vocal soloist engaged by Morgan, Melody Wilson, also made her SF Symphony debut with these performances. Read more