Michael Christie is flying high.
Not only does the ambitious young maestro pilot his own Mooney airplane to various conducting engagements across the country, but his career is also at full throttle.
“My freelance work has had to become more structured and strategic,” said Christie, music director of the Colorado Music Festival, which begins its season Saturday, and the Phoenix Symphony. “I limit my guest conducting to bigger orchestras now.
“I think about where I want to be in 10 years, in 20 years … not just in terms of bigger orchestras, but well-managed and financially sound orchestras. It’s all part of a master plan that is hatching day by day.”
To be sure, The New York Times described Christie’s recent performance with the Brooklyn Philharmonic as “shapely” and “persuasive.” And last month, the Los Angeles Times enthusiastically declared Christie a “daredevil fully in control” – an about-face of his failed and short-lived gig as assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic a decade ago.
“This past season, I was much more North America-based,” he said, also noting the conclusion in
December 2004 of his three-season tenure as chief conductor and artistic director of Australia’s Queensland Orchestra, where he is now principal guest conductor. “And beginning this fall, my first commitment during the winter season is the Phoenix Symphony. In the summer, the Boulder festival is my priority.”
Now in his fifth year with the CMF, founded by Giora Bernstein in 1976, Christie’s contract has been extended through 2007.
“Whatever happens after that hasn’t come up yet,” he said. “We’re just having such a fun time, and we’re all really proud of our yearly growth in ticket sales and fundraising. We’re bucking the trend.”
Christie said year-to-date ticket sales exceed last year’s figures by 25 percent and that the CMF may soon be in a financial position to secure the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District’s Tier II funding.
“People are getting used to the idea that we offer enormous variety,” he said of the six-week festival. “Audiences are trusting us to present high-quality performances.
“And I know what they’re thinking. ‘I’m not stupid, I’m busy. I don’t have time to know as much about music as the people on stage. Tell me what I need to know to better enjoy the music.”‘
In response, Christie will resume the festival’s audience outreach programs he established in previous seasons: Keeping Score, a real-time guide to CMF orchestra programs; and Intermission Insights, informal question- and-answer periods between the audience and CMF guest artists, moderated by Christie during concert intermissions.
“We’re also continuing our free and open rehearsals, and our Talks Under the Tent pre- concert lectures on Thursdays and Sundays,” he said. “I believe in treating the audience as sophisticated listeners who’ve come to expect a solid core musical product from us.
“We aim to preserve that core product even as we create doorways to attract people who may not yet have experienced the festival.”
Christie thinks one such avenue is to present chamber music in a global context.
“We thought we’d try mixing our traditional Tuesday chamber music series with the audience’s request for world music,” said Christie, whose 31st birthday is Thursday. “The result is that we’re bringing chamber music from around the world to an intimate salon setting with no amplification.
“Some might say I’m killing the series, but I think most people will see that we’re really expanding the repertoire. Plus, the caliber of our guest artists and our incredible orchestra is very, very cool.”
Colorado Music Festival
The festival begins Saturday and runs through Aug. 5. Here are the details and highlights:
FESTIVAL|Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder|The CMF Chamber Orchestra will perform on Sundays, Chamber Music and World Music ensembles will perform on Tuesdays, and the CMF Festival Orchestra will perform on Thursdays and Fridays|All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m.|$10-$45|For more information, call 303-449-1397 or visit coloradomusicfest.org
TUESDAY|World Music Series: Un Mundo Ensemble
JULY 12|Appalachia Waltz Trio with fiddler Mark O’Connor
JULY 26|Mamadou Diabate Ensemble
JULY 3|”Moving Pictures,” A program of films set to new music
JULY 19|Russian violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky performing Johannes Bach’s “Goldberg Variations”
JULY 21-22|Australian jazz trumpeter James Morrison playing George Gershwin, Duke Ellington and a selection of his own works
JULY 31|French aerial fabric dancer Fred Deb’ performing during Franz Schubert’s “Unfinished Symphony”
JULY 28-29|Johannes Brahms’ “German Requiem” with the CMF Festival Orchestra and the CMF Festival Chorus
