Stéphane Denève is excited. Now in his sixth season as the music director of the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Symphony Orchestra, the maestro speaks with passion and energy about grabbing the baton for the orchestra’s 145th season.
Opening the 2024-25 season is an event close to the conductor’s heart, the SLSO’s free concert on Art Hill in Forest Park. A tradition for over five decades, this public concert fills the air with the Grammy Award-winning orchestra’s preview of the upcoming season along with music to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the 1904 World’s Fair; a tribute to Scott Joplin; and classical works from Ludwig van Beethoven, Hector Berlioz, Edvard Grieg, Hugh Martin, W.A. Mozart, John Philip Sousa, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky; and music from the film “E.T.†by John Williams.
The conductor hopes that the free outdoor concert will foster feelings of community amongst the audience of diverse ºüÀêÊÓƵans. He spoke of two pieces on the program that address these themes.
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“I’m excited this year because we will start our concert after the National Anthem,†Denève says. “Then we will play a bit of the Ninth Symphony, which has a theme of people united in peace. I think that that’s the spirit here. The program will make people want to be together.â€
The Ninth Symphony contains the “Ode to Joy,†which has been played at moments of celebration, including the fall of the Berlin Wall.
As he prepared to conduct this event, the maestro reflected on what performing in Forest Park means to him personally. “It means a lot to me because it was my first official concert as music director of the orchestra. It was in September of 2019, and I didn’t know how much I would love it. It was so beautiful to see this sea of people united to have a great time,†Denève says. “I remember that I felt relaxed. I thought I would be stressed or nervous because there were so many people to make music for. But the community made me feel at ease, and I met my new city with a smile.â€
The conductor also loves how performing outside creates an intimate relationship between the musicians and the audience. “There is a beautiful tradition in America with performing at outdoor venues in the summer. Most of them have a part of the stage that is covered and distant from the crowd. Here people are very close. There is a very beautiful feeling of being hand in hand.â€
As he approaches his rendezvous with the upcoming season opener, Denève is eager to point out that whenever he takes the baton, he feels empowered to connect concertgoers with the music he is passionate about. “I love to tell a story and bring people into that. I also love that everything responds to each other. So, it’s always a pleasure.â€
Vocalist Kennedy Holmes — a singer who has wowed audiences on “The Voice,†at The Muny and previously with the symphony’s In Unison Chorus — will accompany the orchestra for two songs.
In addition to adding more shuttles from Art Hill to parking, this year’s festivities include more food trucks from local vendors (available after 5 p.m.) and a family fun zone at the top of Art Hill from 6 to 7 p.m. with music-creation activities from members of the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Symphony Youth Orchestra. Fireworks will light the sky at the conclusion of the concert.
This year’s event also marks the 56th anniversary of the first Forest Park concert, which started in 1968. Attendees are encouraged to come early, bring chairs and blankets, and enjoy the performance.
While Denève lets the music do the talking, he is determined to leave a lasting impression on those who attend. “My big message with the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Symphony Orchestra is that we are accessible to all. There is no fear; you don’t have to be formal. Just come. I speak to the audience at every concert, welcome them, and just make people at ease that we are there to celebrate music together in the most relaxed and fun way.â€