Eric Jacobsen is jazzed to take the reins of the Orlando Philharmonic.
The new music director of the Orlando Philharmonic is open to change, down with the traditional — and ready to play
It’s somewhere in the wee hours of the morning in Ireland when I reach Eric Jacobsen there by phone. He’s touring with Brooklyn Rider and played a concert in Bantry earlier in the evening. “Are you sure you want to do this interview now?” I tentatively ask. “It’s after midnight, right?” The musician’s response crackles down the line: “I am so buzzed off the concert right now, I couldn’t sleep anyway!”
That musical high is what Jacobsen hopes to bring to Orlando audiences this season. Saturday marks the first night he will conduct the entire Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra as its new music director.
Jacobsen, an acclaimed cellist as well as conductor, is a founding member of Brooklyn Rider, a genre-defying string quartet. He also serves as artistic director of The Knights, a progressive orchestra
he co-founded.
In Ireland, he played with Martin Hayes — a collaboration that has contributed to Jacobsen’s post-concert buzz.
“He’s a hero of Irish musical tradition and totally thrilling to play with,” gushes Jacobsen, 33.
It’s high praise from Jacobsen, who through the years has made music with the best of the best, superstars such as violinist Itzhak Perlman and cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
He has big plans for his new role with the Orlando Philharmonic, a stint that comes with a 5-year contract.
“The beauty of being in Orlando is now I have a place to make music for the biggest portion of my year,” Jacobsen says. “That’s so grounding. I’ve never had that.”
With a heavy touring schedule, generally the longest he stays in one place is a six-week stop at home in New York to work with The Knights. Jacobsen grew up in New York, with classical melodies filling the family home. His parents were both professional musicians, as is his brother, Colin, a co-founder of The Knights and Brooklyn Rider.
Jacobsen started playing cello as a child and got a boost from his early instructors.
“I came into contact with some great teachers, when I was 13, when I was 15,” he recalls. “When I got into Juilliard it was because of them.”
At The Juilliard School in New York, Jacobsen acquired another memorable instructor. Harvey Shapiro, a 90-year-old pedagogue, pushed him hard.
“It’s definitely one of the deepest relationships I’ve had,” Jacobsen says. “I had a lesson with him every day for five years. He was so verbally abusive — but all for the greater good.”
Jacobsen promises that won’t be his style in leading the orchestra. His focus will be on pleasing concertgoers and fostering a creative environment for his colleagues.
“From a management side, how do we run an organization so that people are satisfied artistically — both in the audience and in the orchestra? That’s the question,” he says.
He thinks the musicians already are on that path.
“Everyone plays really well,” he says. “How can we be even better? How do we continue to play great music and maybe interact together more deeply? I want to create an environment where musicians are happy. I know that sounds lame — but it has to be a constant goal.”
One way to engage musicians — and audience members — is to challenge them with new works, he says.
“I’m already talking to composers,” Jacobsen says. “We are going to bring new things to Orlando.”
At Saturday’s concert, Jacobsen will lead the orchestra in “Freight and Salvage,” a work commissioned this year from composer Gabriel Kahane.
And although he’s dedicated to seeking out new music, he insists he’s not interested in change for change’s sake.
“Changing repertoire is only good if the new music is good,” Jacobsen says. “One thing that’s happened a lot in the classicalmusic world in the last 10 years is this idea that ‘new’ and ‘different’ means ‘better.’” He’s not entirely convinced. “I really, really think change is good” — Jacobsen pauses for emphasis — “if it’s change.”
In fact, he refers to himself in many ways as a traditionalist. On Saturday’s program, for example, is Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, featuring guest artist Joyce Yang.Jacobsen also has planned a seasonlong focus on Maurice Ravel, the great French composer of the 19th century. Saturday’s concert includes his “Daphnis et Chloe.”
“He is one of my favorites,” says Jacobsen, who’s intrigued by the notion that Ravel was influenced by the traditional music of his time — works by Beethoven, say — but also by the new ideas of his contemporaries, such as Debussy.
“I wonder what did Ravel think when he was sitting there hearing Debussy’s string quartet?” Jacobsen muses.
Ravel’s compositions appeal to the imagination, he says.
“He’s a dreamer. I think he’s able to paint pictures more clearly than most,” Jacobsen says. “Two minutes of his music might go by and then all of a sudden a house, sculptures, a dance party, beautiful gardens emerge in your mind. He can set the scene, put the details in place and then — boom! — you get it.”
Jacobsen is passionate about sharing the music that inspires him.
“I want to bring music I love,” he enthuses. “I think we’ll see my personality emerge from the programs.”
As music director, he oversees the Philharmonic’s selections for the season. Jacobsen, a devoted foodie, compares that process to planning a menu. But he indicates he’s not afraid to break the rules.
“So much of what I do is thinking about what music pairs with what,” he says. “It’s very foodoriented. You’re told ‘you have to drink white wine with that,’ but you know what? You can always drink champagne.”
“I want to bring music I love. I think we’ll see my personality emerge from the programs.”
Eric Jacobsen, Orlando Philharmonic music director