Musical America Blogs

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Yo-Yo Ma Interviews Eugenia Zukerman

Creating My Tanglewood Vlog has been a privilege, and I want to thank all of the extraordinary people who allowed me to interview them. I’m deeply grateful to the Boston Symphony Orchestra for their partnership and assistance in the making of the Vlog, and to Stephanie Challener, the publisher of MusicalAmerica.com, for her partnership and tireless support. And special thanks to videographer and production assistant Jenny Hersch, a woman of myriad talents. And to Tanglewood — HAPPY 75th ANNIVERSARY!

Ignat Solzhenitsyn, Pianist/Conductor

Recognized as one of today’s most gifted artists, Ignat Solzhenitsyn enjoys a brilliant career as both conductor and pianist. His lyrical and inspired interpretations have won him worldwide acclaim. Born in Moscow, he has a particular affinity for the legacy of Koussevitzky at Tanglewood. “The spirit of Koussevitzky is everywhere,” he says. “It’s amazing how much this man influenced his peers as well as his physical and spiritual environment of the time. He not only had an exceptional musical genius, but also a genius for thinking about music’s place in society, about how music can best flourish. It’s to Koussevitzky’s everlasting credit that he saw what Tanglewood could be, and here we are, 75 years later, and I don’t think he’d be a bit surprised to see what it’s become.” A devoted teacher, Ignat feels that “students have to, at all times, be consumed with the notion that the purpose is to serve the music. I want students to leave here with an enhanced sense of commitment and love for it.”

Wendy Putnam, Violin

A member of the Boston Symphony for 16 years, Wendy Putnam is a teacher and the founder and director of the Concord Chamber Music Society in Concord, Massachusetts. She remembers her days in 1990 and ’91 as a Fellow at Tanglewood with great affection. “It was a seminal moment for me,” she says. “I thought, Hey, maybe I can do this for a living.” Now, as she sits on the stage at Tanglewood, she says, “When I look out at the view from the stage at the Shed, it makes my heart melt. And when we’re in Ozawa Hall, that view is gorgeous, too. I think we could argue that we have the best seats in the house.”

Anthony Fogg, about Seranak

The sign says “Seranak.” Is it a novel spelling for Lake Saranac? Halfway up Baldhead Mountain, with a spectacular view of the mountain-rimmed Stockbridge Bowl, Seranak is the former 170-acre estate of Tanglewood’s founder, Serge Koussevitzky. Purchased in 1939 by Koussevitzky, this gracious estate has a long and fascinating history, and who better to tell it than Anthony Fogg, the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s artistic administrator and gifted raconteur.

Natalie Helm, Cellist

Natalie Helm, a Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, is a cellist who says, “There’s a great atmosphere here, it’s really supportive. Everyone is here to get better at our craft. There’s a great balance at the TMC of chamber music, plus orchestra concerts every week, and you even have time to practice your solo stuff. It allows us to focus on improving.” This is Natalie’s second summer at the Tanglewood Music Center and she is clearly savoring every focused minute of it.

Joshua Needleman, Creator Chocolate Springs, Lenox

The chocolate mousse cakes, the champagne cognac truffles, the chocolate infusions—it’s dreamy, velvety, intoxicating chocolate at its most glorious. Joshua Needleman, creator and owner of Chocolate Springs, in Lenox, has been bewitched by chocolate all of his life. His fascination with “this magical ingredient,” inherited from his Dutch grandmother and family, has evolved into an artform. He says his goal is “to create a balanced harmony between the natural complexities of the natural dark chocolate and my flavor infusions.” His café is filled with treats that veritably defy the imagination. And you can wash them all down with a strong espresso, assorted teas or—why not—some serious hot chocolate. Joshua Needleman shares his knowledge of working with chocolate and its health benefits at frequent demonstrations and lectures. Featured in many magazines and TV shows, his chocolates melt in your mouth like great music in your soul.

Yo-Yo Ma, Cellist

“This place is spiritual in many ways,” says Yo-Yo Ma about the Berkshires. “From native Americans and throughout American history, artists from every part of the domain—literature, music, theater, dance—have come here for inspiration, and I partake in this magical part of the land.” Perhaps the most honored and beloved musician on the planet, Yo-Yo Ma has been coming to Tanglewood and enchanting its audiences for the last 29 years. “It’s a place for renewal,” he says. “I came here in my early 30’s. Seiji (Ozawa) asked me to do some teaching and coaching at the Tanglewood Music Center, and that’s where I found renewal. To find the joy in young people’s eyes—the first time “getting” something, or playing a new piece of music—it’s that spirit of renewal, with new music, with young people, that has been part of Tanglewood’s essence for the past 75 years.”

John Harbison, on the Climate at Tanglewood

Composer, pianist, teacher, recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Foundation’s “genius” award, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the Heinz Award in the Arts and Humanities, John Harbison is one of the most honored musicians in the world. He loves being at Tanglewood, where the climate does not always co-operate, but it makes him “feel dedicated to his art.” That dedication has made him prolific and successful in many fields, from poetry to jazz to artistic administration to teaching, to conducting. The world premiere of his BSO-commissioned work, Koussevitzky said:, for chorus and orchestra will take place on Sunday, August 26, with Rafael Frübeck de Burgos conducting.

The Hoadley Gallery in Lenox

Stephanie and Thomas Hoadley opened their Gallery in Lenox, Massachusetts, in 1985, with an inspired collection of functional and decorative objects. Combining traditional American hand craftsmanship with innovative contemporary design, they’ve recently added painting, photography, artisan clothing, and jewelry to their collection. In a beautifully restored 19th-century home in the heart of Lenox, the gallery represents nearly 150 artists, including Tom Hoadley, whose delightful ceramics, paintings, and jewelry are on display. The Hoadleys’ love of art mirrors their love of music, and Tanglewood’s presence was the reason they decided to settle in Lenox.

Christoph Eschenbach Discusses Tanglewood Weather

Conductor, pianist, and longtime friend of Tanglewood, Christoph Eschenbach remembers his performance in the shed the night “the heavens played with me!” As an extraordinary role model for aspiring artists, Eschenbach says, “I’ve always been deeply interested, indeed passionate, about helping and supporting young talent. Besides the essential technical perfection and musicality that an artist needs, the qualities I look for are: uniqueness, personality, charisma, and in conjunction with all of the above, a performance palette that exceeds the boundaries of the instrument itself.” Eschenbach himself exceeds the boundaries, and performs with poetry and drama, no matter what the weather.

Marc Wilhelm, Managing Director, Wheatleigh Hotel & Restaurant

The Italianate mansion known as The Wheatleigh Hotel & Restaurant in Lenox is just a stone’s throw away from Tanglewood. Beautifully renovated for the millennium, it’s now one of the world’s most unique luxury hotels. To look through its Tiffany windows, to sit in its majestic great hall, to walk through its 22 acres of lush lawns and gardens is to find yourself in a world of wonder. With its 19 suites and rooms and its award-winning restaurant, Wheatleigh is both elegant and cozy. “We love it,” says Managing Director Marc Wilhelm. “It’s a great place to be.”

Yefim Bronfman, Pianist

Yefim Bronfman is a pianist whose prowess at the keyboard is matched by an uncanny ability to touch the soul of the listener. His lyrical gifts and his towering virtuosity have won him enthusiastic acclaim everywhere. Born in Tashkent, Fima was a protégé of Isaac Stern, studied with Rudolf Serkin and Leon Fleisher, and made his first major orchestral appearances in the U.S. under the baton of Leonard Bernstein. In this Vlog he professes to being nervous about playing Brahms’s towering Second Piano Concerto at Tanglewood with Christoph Von Dohnányi conducting the BSO, but even on a steamy August evening, with “fat fingers” from the humidity, Fima’s performance was ravishing—powerful, and deeply profound.

Bramwell Tovey, Conductor

One of the most versatile and charismatic musicians in the world, Bramwell Tovey is a Grammy Award-winning conductor and a renowned composer and jazz pianist. Music director of the Vancouver Symphony, principal guest conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, and founding host and conductor of the New York Philharmonic’s Summertime Classics, Tovey is also in demand as a guest conductor around the globe. Growing up in East London, he played piano, tuba, and violin by the time he was a teenager. Famed for his amusing, erudite, and delightfully irreverent remarks from the stage, he’s, as one critic put it, “…the witty bloke everybody wants to sit next to at the pub.”

Laura Wolf, Interim Director Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield

Standing in front of the famous “Round Stone Barn,” built in 1826, Laura Wolf, the interim director of the Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Massachussets says, “The Shakers were a group of ordinary people who were coming together to live an extraordinary life.” A religious order, the utopian sect started the Hancock community in 1783. The Shakers believed in racial and gender equality, simplicity, and pacifism. Here at the Village, visitors can roam at their own pace, talking with interpeters, choosing from a variety of demonstrations and programs, exploring the crafts, gardens, buildings, and delving into the history of one of the most successful utopian societies to flourish in this country. It’s a fascinating experience for young and old.

Augustin Hadelich, Violinist

Born in Italy in 1984, the son of German parents, Augustin Hadelich is already an international star. Winner of a Gold Medal at the 2006 International Violin Competition in Indianapolis, the Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2009, and recently awarded a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship in the UK, Hadelich is applauded for the beauty, bravura, and poetry of his performances. As a young man on his parents’ farm in Italy he developed a deep love of nature, and he says he looks forward to being in the rolling hills of the Berkshires where he will feel very much at home.

Jim Schantz, Schantz Galleries in Stockbridge

Schantz Galleries in Stockbridge represents prominent contemporary glass artists. It was previously the Holstein Galleries, but was purchased in 2009 by Jim Schantz and Kim Saul. They’ve expanded the presence of the gallery and artists through major exhibitions and support of the artists they represent. Jim Schantz is a painter whose art appears in many public collections. He works in many different media, and he has collaborated with musicians in presentations that combine the visual with music. Enter Schantz Galleries and you will be embraced by colors and shapes of transcendant beauty.

Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Pianist

A performance by pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet always resonates with poetry, artistry, and exuberance. Born in Lyon, France, he is sought after by the most distinguished orchestras, conductors, festivals- and collaborative musicians. He’s also made his mark on the world of fashion, film, and philanthropy. Stylish, elegant, and a bon vivant, Jean-Yves’s enjoyment of life is reflected in the brilliance and depth of his playing. His performance with Lorin Maazel conducting the BSO at Tanglewood’s 75th anniversary season of the rarely performed 5th Piano Concerto by Saint-Saens sparkled like a diamond despite the heat, humidity, and rain.

John Harbison, Composer, on Jazz

Pulitzer prize-winning composer John Harbison is one of the most honored and prominent artists of our time. A great friend of Tanglewood and the Boston Symphony, he has often been commissioned to write for the orchestra, and this summer his commissioned work for chorus and orchestra, Koussevitzky said: will be performed on August 26, along with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. “To see what kind of music might happen in that space in the program before Beethoven’s Ninth was an interesting kind of assignment,” Harbison said. “I wanted it to have something to do with Koussevitzky, having been more and more impressed at his design for Tanglewood that has proven so durable and original. I’m using some of Koussevitzky’s own words, and I decided to use informal remarks, things that he said in conversation in rehearsal. They tend to be sometimes quite funny, sometimes very brief and pithy, and expressed in quite an unusual way. They make for an interesting choral text, and give some of the flavor of Koussevitzky ‘off duty.'”

Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Conductor, re Gunther Schuller

On Sunday July 8, conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya conducted a concert with the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra on which the premiere of Gunther Schuller’s Dreamscape, a TMC commission, was conducted by the composer himself. In three movements, it’s a deeply complex and atmospheric work. Gunther Schuller told the audience that he actually dreamt the entire piece. As Miguel Harth-Bedoya says, he was eagerly looking forward to seeing Mr. Schuller — one of the most important influences in his life, with whom he had worked when he was a student 20 years ago at the TMC, and had not seen since. Undoubtedly the reunion was a dream come true.

The Merelles Rouge in West Stockbridge

Maggie and William Merelle came to West Stockbridge and in 2002 opened Rouge Restaurant & Bistro. Rouge presents French cuisine in a setting that is charming, romantic and comfortable. William Merelle spent his formative years in a region of the Pyrenees known for its extraordinary cuisine. Meals at Rouge are exquisite, with tremendous attention to detail and epicurean delight. Maggie is always a presence in the restaurant, and her infectious enthusiasm and warmth, coupled with William’s dedication to his endlessly creative dishes combine to make Rouge unique. The Merelle’s are raising their two young sons in the Berkshires where they all enjoy the surroundings and, in the summer, the sounds of Tanglewood.

Ellen Highstein, Director of the TMC

Director of the Tanglewood Music Center, the Boston Symphony’s summer institute for advanced musical training, Ellen Highstein is an acclaimed musician, writer, teacher, and administrator whose energy, enthusiasm and optimism are extraordinary. “These days I think all musicians need to be flexible, versatile and perhaps even evangelical in their desire to share and convince the world of the wonder of the music they’re playing,” she says. “What I hope Tanglewood and the TMC can give them is a very broad based and very intense experience of the best there is, so they can go out in the world and take that with them as part of their musical tool belt, and as part of their ongoing inspiration.”

Michael Gandolfi, Composer

“It was the most transformative event in my life as a composer,” says Michael Gandolfi about being a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center in 1986 and working with composer Oliver Knussen. “He gave me a lot of confidence in what I was doing which I think for a young composer is the most important thing – confidence in the form of affirmation in that he believed in what I was doing and what he heard and it made me have more faith in myself.” A recipient of numerous awards and grants, Gandolfi is now one of America’s pre-eminent composers. Since 1997 he has been on the TMC faculty where he is, in turn, inspiring young composers. His Tanglewood 75 commissioned work, “The Train to Perugia,” will be performed by the BSO on August 5th.

Brandon Mason, Doublebass

In his second summer as a Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, double bassist Brandon Mason says, “I’ve heard it said that Tanglewood has a democratic feel to it. It’s true. Tanglewood is for everybody. Boundaries are taken down between performers who come through, and the conductors that you work with, and the Boston Symphony players, so you feel you’re part of a tradition instead of an aspiring student hoping to someday break through and be a professional. As a TMC Fellow, it feels as if you’re being treated like a professional and they expect the same out of you as they do from any member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.”

Nancy Fitzpatrick, Red Lion Inn

The Fitzpatrick family has owned the Red Lion Inn since 1968. Nancy Fitzpatrick has overseen businesses that include the Red Lion Inn, Jacks Grill, Elm Street Market, and Porches Inn at MASS MoCa, among others. Serving on several boards in the area she is a former Peace Corps Volunteer. Her role as a very active member of the cultural life of the Berkshires is applauded by all who know her. The Red Lion Inn has been a welcoming destination for more than two centuries, and for many years it has been one of the most popular lodgings, and eateries, for Tanglewood visitors, and Tanglewood performers.

Charles Dutoit, Conductor

Charles Dutoit, one of the most renowned, and acclaimed conductors in  the world, is also devoted to mentoring young musicians. His 170 recordings have won more than 40 worldwide awards. He’s a tireless globe trotter as a conductor, and also as a passionate tourist — he has traveled to all 196 nations in the world. As for his longtime connection to Tanglewood, he says, “I love it here. It’s a great place, a very civilized place. You have a great orchestra, great conductors, an intellectual environment in a beautiful setting, and there’s such a feeling of tradition — (Pierre) Monteux was here, (Charles) Munch — so many great people. It’s amazing.” What’s also amazing is that Charles Dutoit will be conducting three concerts in a row this weekend – Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with repertoire from Berlioz and Beethoven to Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky. To this tireless and debonair Chef d’Orchestre, we have to say, “Chapeau! And Merci Beaucoup!”

Laurie Norton Moffatt, Director/CEO Norman Rockwell Museum

Norman Rockwell lived in Stockbridge for the last 25 years of his life, and the museum houses the world’s largest and most significant of the painter’s work, including 998 original paintings and drawings. Many of Rockwell’s images and models came from Stockbridge and nearby towns. “He loved people,” says Laurie Norton Moffatt, who has been the museum’s director for 25 years. “He had the ability to see what was special and extraordinary in the everyday moments in our lives.” Housed on a stunning 36-acre site, the museum includes Rockwell’s studio where you can see his original art materials, his library furnishings, and personal items. This is one of the most popular museums in the world and Norman Rockwell’s generosity of spirit, his wisdom, and gentle humor are reflected everywhere.

Bobby Lahart, Facilities Manager

“It’s a colossal effort,” says The Tanglewood Facilities Manager, Bobby Lahart, about how he and his staff keep the Tanglewood property in such impeccable shape. “We maintain nearly 1.5 miles of hedgerow and 5.5 miles of interior roadways. During the fall, we clean up and transport an estimated 20,000 cubic yards of organic materials including leaves, pine cones and needles in order to promote a healthy turf. We also maintain over 80 buildings across an expansive 500 acre campus.We regularly mow 40 acres of lawn and an additional 150 acres of grass parking lots.

On the horticultural front, we propagate, nourish, transport and deploy over 9,000 plants at Tanglewood (and for the Symphony Hall Spring Pops) in 3 on-site greenhouses. There are also 45-50+ parking attendants and another 50+ gate attendants under the facilities umbrella during the season, along with law enforcement from 3 jurisdictions (Lenox, Stockbridge, and Berkshire County Sheriffs Department) and private security, who assist with traffic, security, and logistical operations under the direction of Tanglewood Facilities. And one of the democratic components of this wonderful place is that the public is invited to come, without a ticket, to walk on the grounds to enjoy the Tanglewood experience not just in summer, but basically throughout the year.”

Christoph Eschenbach, Conductor

Music director of the National Symphony Orchestra, music director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Christoph Eschenbach first appeared with the BSO at Tanglewood in 1970 as a pianist, with Seiji Ozawa conducting. Eschenbach is also a favorite guest conductor and pianist at summer music festivals around the world. “I’m so happy to have been invited to Tanglewood to play the piano and to conduct so many times,” he says. “And now for this very special 75th anniversary and to commemorate a program that Lenny (Bernstein) conducted, with Midori in her debut performance at Tanglewood.”

Eric Wilska, The Bookloft

Opened in 1974, The Bookloft is one of the oldest independent bookstores in western Massachusetts. Owner Eric Wilska’s goal was to become a “community bookstore,” where people can congregate, talk about books, share opinions, learn about new books and browse to their hearts’ content. Wilska’s passion for books is shared with his entire staff. The Bookloft personnel read what they sell and love passing along their comments about particular books to customers. The store hosts many author events throughout the year, and also maintains a vibrant online literary presence.

James Sommerville, Principal Hornist

When James Sommerville auditioned for the position of principal horn for the Boston Symphony it was a long process, culminating in a final audition that was to take place at Tanglewood. The morning of that crucial audition, James decided to loosen up, shed some tension. “I went for a run along the beautiful Berkshire roads and got completely lost,” he says. “It didn’t occur to me that I should drop some bread crumbs. So there I was, in the middle of nowhere. I had a watch and was realizing it was getting closer and closer to my audition time, and I had been running around in circles for miles. Finally, and luckily, I found my way back, showered, and tore into my audition on time. Was I a wreck? I was nervous, but not incapacitated.” Lucky for audiences, who have enjoyed his exquisite playing for 14 years.

Emanuel Ax, Pianist

Pianist Emanuel Ax is one of the most honored and beloved artists of our time. Having performed at Tanglewood some thirty times he says, “I first came here with my wife for a couple of days, and every year we came for longer, until about 25 years ago we started spending the whole summer here. I don’t know why, but there’s magic in the air at Tanglewood.” Manny, as he’s called, says he likes looking at photographs on the walls backstage at the Shed before going onstage. “You see Lenny Bernstein on the lawn with Lukas Foss, you see conductor Charles Munch — you see a lot of great artists and it’s very exciting to be part of it, to be part of a long tradition.”

Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Conductor

Peruvian born Miguel-Harth Bedoya is the music director of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and one of the most sought-after guest conductors around the world. Known for passionate and dynamic performances, Harth-Bedoya also volunteers for Habitat for Humanity house projects, and a variety of community work. Twenty years ago he was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, and says that “as a TMC student, you breathe music and nature, and the two things combined can only bring out the best in aspiring musicians. And getting to basically live among the amazing musicians of the Boston Symphony – there was and is no other place like it!”

Jim Lucie, Café Lucia

Café Lucia opened in Lenox in 1983, and Jim Lucie, owner and executive chef says, “We had the opportunity to have Maestro Osawa indicate, through a New York Times article, that Café Lucia was his favorite place to dine when the symphony was in the Berkshires, and that really catapulted us forward. It was a great beginning.” Since its auspicious opening, Café Lucia has a multitude of avid fans who continue to love their dining experiences. “It’s humbling,” Jim Lucie says. “They’ll come night after night. It’s as if we’re a home away from home. And it’s challenging. We have to make sure that our specials reflect that people are here on consecutive nights. We always have interesting things for them to try.”

Owen Young, Cellist

Joining the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1991, cellist Owen Young remembers his first time as a student at Tanglewood. “I was 15 years old and it made an incredible impression on me. I was spellbound by the beauty of the landscape and the sound of the BSO. And working with members of the BSO as a youngster I understood at once what level one has to be at to be able to be in an orchestra of that caliber.” Young has been playing at “that caliber” for many years not only as a member of the BSO, but also as a soloist, chamber musician, a recording artist, and a devoted teacher.

Keith Lockhart, Conductor

When Keith Lockhart became the 20th conductor of the Boston Pops he not only kept the great Pops traditions established by his predecessors John Williams and Arthur Fiedler, but he also introduced many varied new innovations such as the JazzFest and EdgeFest series, as well as concert performances of great Broadway shows. Lockhart is a passionate spokesman for the the arts and arts education, and one of the most popular personalities in the world of music. “I’m the son of non-musician parents who wanted to give me the chance to study music they hadn’t had because of economic circumstances,” he says. “I was trained as a pianist initially and my orchestral background was as a clarinetist. Despite my love of music I thought I should go into a field where I could make a living, and I intended to become a lawyer…but fate intervened.” And thousands of his fans are so happy it did. In addition to his role as Boston Pops Conductor, Lockhart was named the Principal Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra in 2010. On Monday June 4, 2012, Keith Lockhart conducted the BBC Concert Orchestra in London at the Diamond Jubilee Concert for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth ll.

Anthony Fogg, On Programming

Anthony Fogg was the Head of Progamming for ABC Concerts, the classical music arm of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 1986 to 1994. During the same period, he was also Artistic Director of one of Australia’s leading contemporary music organizations, The Seymour Group. He’s still active as a pianist, performing chamber music regularly with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Pam Malumphy, Berkshires Expert

An economic development specialist at 1Berkshire, Pam Malumphy has a full picture of what the Bershires are all about. “Tanglewood means everything to the Berkshires,” she says. “What it does for the economy, how it brings in so many people. I say this with fondness because I worked at Tanglewood for many years and I understand from a tourism perspective what it means. And I say God Bless Tanglewood for being the institution that came out here to start this incredible influx that we see, and now it is not only in the summer, but all year round. Tanglewood is where it all started in terms of the Berkshires becoming this amazing destination for so many people.”

Mark Volpe, Managing Director

Since his appointment in 1997 as managing director of the BSO, Mark Volpe has reaffirmed the BSO’s standing as one of the world’s greatest orchestras. Maintaining artistic standards, keeping financial equilibrium, and bringing the BSO’s presence to a worldwide audience, Volpe is as enthusiastic as he is busy. “What makes Tanglewood unique is the gestalt of music and nature, but also the students,” he says. “Teaching these talented TMC fellows, the orchestra remembers what it was like to be 20-something and to be so excited about the possibilities the future holds. Everyone is in a great mood—let’s face it, being in the Berkshires in July is a little better than being in Boston in January, and you can go swimming after rehearsal. We’re the only orchestra that employs life guards!”

Thomas Rolfs, Principal Trumpet

Principal trumpet of the BSO and of the Boston Pops Orchestra, Thomas Rolfs says that Tanglewood changed his life. “As a teenager, I came here as a fellow and I had only a foggy notion that I could even make a living in music. Tanglewood changed my perception of what it meant to be a musician, and as a teacher now at the TMC, I try to pass along what I learned here to the next generation of young musicians,” he says, then jokingly adds, “Of course I tell them, ‘If you start sounding better than me, then it’s time for me to go home. Master class is over!'”

Anthony Fogg, Artistic Administrator

Artistic Administrator of the BSO, Anthony Fogg was recently made a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Government, for services to French music and culture. This award speaks to the many talents of this multi-faceted Australian. Trained as a pianist, his career has combined performance with arts administration. Fogg’s knowledge of the classical music cannon is legendary, and his championship of contemporary composers has inspired him to realize a number of significant commissions and first performances for the BSO. He has helped nurture the careers of many young musicians, and he is particularly proud of all the superb teaching and mentoring that takes place at Tanglewood.

My Tanglewood Vlog

I love Tanglewood and the Berkshires, and it’s a privilege to help celebrate the 75th anniversary of this fabulous festival. In my Tanglewood Vlog you’ll find conversations with conductors, soloists, orchestra members, composers, BSO administration, and students, along with interviews at some of the many restaurants, art galleries, museums, hotels, and shops in the area. I’ll be posting new videos, with accompanying text, several times each week from now through September 2 to illuminate Tanglewood’s powerful appeal, while also giving you a glimpse into some of the area’s best known gems and hidden treasures. Here’s to happy summer days and nights filled with great music!