Ma2la and Heinecke
“Non-traditional” is an understatement for Nashville Symphony Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero.
Son to non-musical parents displaced by the Nicaraguan Revolution of the 1970s, the 50-year-old spent his late childhood in Costa Rica before moving to Texas in high school, where, to meet friends, his mother forced him into the drum line of the marching band. After a thorough education and stints with symphonies in Minneapolis and Eugene, Oregon, he was wooed to Nashville in September 2009 for his radical vision of what classical music is and what it can be. After 10 years at the helm, the six-time Grammy-winner continues to innovate and evangelize for a traditional art form in a modern era.
Joining Musical Forces: While many symphonies represent the pinnacle of musicianship in their communities, Guerrero knew he had competition in artist-heavy Nashville. So rather than trying to beat them, he decided to join them. Or rather, invite them to join him, inviting musicians like banjo player Béla Fleck, bassists Edgar Meyer and Victor Wooten, pianist Ben Folds, and Amy Grant to share in the symphony’s mission.
“For me, it was how I find the excuse and the opportunity to share the stage with them, and at the same time rethink what a symphony orchestra should be in the 21st century. We’re not some museum piece. We should be adjusting to the times.”
Classical Music, Redefined:
“Classical music is anything we put in here, even if we’re accompanying the music of Led Zeppelin. We’re playing it in a concert hall. We’re playing it with a symphony orchestra. All music was new—Bach and Mozart, you know they had world premieres, right? Everything we do here is an addition to the canon.”
Live Music City: “This community just adores live music,” Guerrero says, pointing to Lower Broadway’s honky tonks a block from the Schermerhorn and his symphony’s close proximity to other venues.
“We need to find our place in this universe of great music-making while offering something that no one else could do.”
He points to recent events, including a Mexican ballet and zookeeper Jack Hanna’s night of lectures.
“You make this a place that is welcoming to everyone.”
Office Space:
“The Schermerhorn Symphony Center is one of the top three concert halls in the world,” Guerrero says. “I can say this, because I’ve played in all of them.”