Francesco Lecce-Chong will conduct Eugene Symphony through at least the 2022/23 season
Posted on September 20, 2019
Eugene Symphony Association Board President announces Francesco Lecce-Chong has renewed his contract to serve as Music Director & Conductor through at least the orchestra’s 57th season. ______________________________________________________________________________
EUGENE, Ore. (September 19, 2019) – David Pottinger, President of the Eugene Symphony Association (ESA) Board of Directors, announced Thursday at the organization’s Annual Meeting that Francesco Lecce-Chong and the ESA have extended Lecce-Chong’s contract through at least the 2022/23 season. Initially named Music Director & Conductor in July 2017, Lecce-Chong first took the podium at that month’s ninth annual Eugene Symphony in the Park. His appointment followed an extensive search that drew more than 250 applications from candidates in 44 countries around the world. The Music Director Search Committee selected Lecce-Chong because of his unique combination of talent, personality, and drive. “Francesco will be one of our great ones,” said Search Committee chair Roger Saydack at the time of his hiring.
“We are thrilled to announce Francesco’s contract extension,” said Pottinger. “His vision and energy have added a renewed vitality to all of our programs, both inside and outside the concert hall. Under his leadership, we look forward to the continued artistic growth of the orchestra and the creation of concert experiences that are enjoyable and challenging, while also reaching an ever-expanding audience.”
Lecce-Chong said, "I could not have asked for a better experience with the Eugene Symphony during my first two seasons. I have been truly touched by the support and enthusiasm from the community and my colleagues. It has been a privilege to lead an orchestra that is nationally recognized for its quality and innovation which has allowed me to dream big and dedicate myself to creating profound, awe-inspiring concerts. I am grateful and thrilled to continue our collaboration, enriching lives through music in this great city."
During his tenure over the past two seasons, Lecce-Chong has continued to gain the support and admiration of the greater Eugene community. His work with the Eugene Symphony focuses both on caliber of performance and active community engagement. Under his leadership, the Eugene Symphony has recently undertaken the “First Symphony Project,” co-commissioning four major American orchestral works to be performed over the next four years, beginning with a new work from New York-based composer Matt Browne in March 2020. The “First Symphony Project” is a partnership with the Santa Rosa Symphony, where Lecce-Chong also serves as Music Director.
While at the artistic helm of ESA, he has also reinitiated the organization’s Family Concert series with the firm belief that experiencing classical music at a young age can be transformative and has the power to connect multigenerational audiences. He has also championed innovative programs that broaden the Symphony audience including: the Star Wars live film series which continues in November 2019; The Color of Sound, a multimedia performance of music by Alexander Scriabin and other composers in April 2019; and this season’s C3: Creativity, Connection, Community, comprising three interlinked concerts that celebrate the fundamental elements of humanity.
In addition to his two Music Director positions, Lecce-Chong also conducts other noteworthy orchestras, both nationally and internationally. In the 2018/19 season, Lecce-Chong debuted in subscription concerts with the San Francisco Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic, and Xi’An Symphony in China, while returning to conduct the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and Milwaukee and San Diego Symphonies. The 2019/20 season marks his debut with the New York Philharmonic.
Lecce-Chong leads the opening night performance of Eugene Symphony’s 54th season on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts. Tchaikovsky’s magnificent Fifth Symphony anchors the concert, which also includes Max Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy featuring Bulgarian violin star Bella Hristova, and Portland-based composer Kenji Bunch’s Groovebox Fantasy, a tribute to music industry legend Quincy Jones.
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About Eugene Symphony
Now in its 54th season, the Eugene Symphony is a nonprofit based in Eugene, Ore. Recognized as a cornerstone of the performing arts in Oregon's southern Willamette Valley, the Eugene Symphony pursues its mission of enriching lives through the power of music by presenting annual classical and pops concerts, as well as music education and community engagement programs, regularly commissioning and premiering new American works, and disseminating its performances via radio broadcasts and recordings. For more information, please visit eugenesymphony.org.
