A few questions for guest conductor Benjamin Klemme
The Lake Forest Civic Orchestra welcomes its thid guest conductor and music director candidate of the season, Benjamin Klemme. Get to know Ben a little better in this short Q&A with him.
Q: Our upcoming LFCO concert in March, “Westward Ho,” includes Grand Canyon Suite by Ferde Grofé. How does the composer get us there? (We appreciate the trip, especially this time of year!)
Grofé possessed extraordinary musical ingenuity, which he developed throughout his wide-ranging activities as a composer and performer. Grand Canyon Suite transports listeners to the beloved national park by making use of musical devices like “echo” to evoke distance, creative combinations of instrumental sounds to suggest the cool of the shade and warmth of the sun, and surprising instruments—like coconut shells (burro hooves), celesta (hand crank music box), and wind machine (for heightened drama in a storm scene)—to create musical memories of the visit. Discovering all that Grofé “painted” into these soundscapes is great fun!
Q: Can you share one of your own musical inspirations from nature?
Having grown up along the Mississippi River, I have always been drawn to the sounds of moving water. And as it happens, I’m not the only musician for whom this is the case. The LFCO could perform an entire season of orchestral repertoire inspired by rivers!
Q: You bring energy to the podium each week despite our evening rehearsals. Where does that come from?
There were many instances while watching the Winter Olympics in Milan that I thought to myself, “Wow! That athlete was born to speed skate! Curl! Cross-country ski! Such passion and drive! Where does that energy come from?!” It’s difficult to describe how galvanizing it is to stand in the midst of the sound of a symphony orchestra. And though I’m certainly no Olympian, I feel deeply honored every time I have the privilege of facilitating the music making of my collaborators and energized by sharing what I love.
Q: We are community orchestra, and lean into that mission. What does community mean to you, especially from a musical perspective?
In my experience, community stems from a shared willingness to know others in the way that we ourselves desire to be known by those around us. I believe community is fueled by generosity in sharing and curiosity in receiving, an economy conspicuously modeled in the acts of music making and sharing. Musicians must boldly contribute their own voices and humbly consider the contributions of their neighbors, all while endeavoring to coordinate their efforts in ways that achieve beauty and meaning. I admire and have drawn much inspiration from LFCO’s clear commitment to strengthening and enriching its community through music.
Q: How do you, as a music director, keep classical music fresh for our audience?
Classical music offers those who experience it unique opportunities for emotional resonance. The expressive range and sonic power of a symphony orchestra can move us in surprising ways, and the music we share conveys experiences and feelings, places and dreams composed by individuals with lives very much like our own. I find tremendous joy in discovering, alongside collaborators and audience members, resonance with composers who express profoundly relatable experiences and ideas from around the world and throughout time.
