Guest conductor adds Pasadena to his itinerary
ask [the orchestra], ‘Which pieces haven’t you done recently?’ ”
Mcgegan, who has served as the music director of San Francisco’s Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra for 26 years, lives in Berkeley but keeps an apartment in Glasgow, Scotland.
I get back there whenever I can — but I am there at the worst times of year, weather-wise,” he said. “That’s why whiskey was invented.” The conductor, 62, spends a good part of the year traveling and was speaking from Kuala Lumpur where he was conducting the Malaysia Philharmonic.
“It’s 100 degrees and 100% humidity. There are orchids in every room,” he said.
Mcgegan has specialized in Baroque music for much of his career, but his repertoire is diverse, encompassing composers from all forms of classical music.
There are some composers that he has never conducted, such as Anton Bruckner or most Russian composers.
“I’m not sure I would contribute very much to them,” he explained.
He said the appeal of Baroque lies in its simplicity and its accessibility. But there is another reason for its popularity.
“Baroque music makes great radio — the pieces are nice and short,” Mcgegan said. “They have a nice beat. You can drive to it if you want to.”
david.ng@latimes.com