Mariusz Smolij, the long time Music Director and Conductor of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, is stepping down.
According to a release from ASO, Smolij is going to pursue new opportunities to conduct concerts with orchestras around the world.
He has been Maestro of the ASO for 21 years, and the release states that he's leaving "a legacy that includes hundreds of world-class concerts with dozens of top-tier guest artists, and ASO’s first-ever international concert tour to Poland, this past May."
ASO’s 40th anniversary season will continue as planned, with no interruption to the existing concert lineup, community collaborations, or educational programming.
ASO Immediate Past President, Cindy Veillon Mattei said, “we thank Maestro Smolij for his 21 years of talent, dedication, and service to ASO, and we wish him great success in all of his future endeavors.”
The Acadiana community will have the opportunity to bid Maestro Smolij farewell and celebrate his accomplishments at a special 40th Symphony Season Opening Night performance. The concert will take place Thursday, September 19, 2024, at Angelle Hall on the University of Louisiana campus.
Single tickets for this performance are available at AcadianaSymphony.org beginning Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
Smolij was selected to lead ASO back in April 2003, following an intense process that lasted for several years. When that process began, more than 200 people living in 20 countries applied for the Acadiana job. It took the search committee months to narrow the list to the six finalists, who each came to Acadiana, rehearsed with the orchestra and conducted a performance. There also were chances for the public and the media to meet each finalist.
ASO plans a similar process to select his replacement.
"Over the course of the upcoming season, ASO will undertake a thorough and public search for its next music director, utilizing an audition process that will showcase the talent and creativity of guest conductors, and provide opportunities for audiences and stakeholders to offer feedback," a release states. "The Acadiana community is invited and encouraged to engage with the guest conductors through ASO’s concerts and events, pre-concert talks, receptions, one-on-one meetings, and media interviews, which will be hosted with each candidate. ASO has worked with many incredible guest conductors over the past few decades, and the organization has an impressive list of people it is considering."
According to the release, more information about the candidates will be announced publicly in the coming weeks.
All music education programs, lessons, and community collaborations will continue as usual at ASO’s Conservatory of Music, and ASO will offer opportunities for those participants, supporters, and donors to engage with the guest conductors, as well. The organization is confident that this transparent public process will empower it to find the best-possible match for ASO, its stakeholders, and the broader community, the release states.
ASO Board of Directors President, Kohlie Frantzen said, “this transition comes at the best possible time for ASO, because it offers us an opportunity to seek the leadership of talented conductors from all over the world, as we embark on an incredible milestone season – while also creating space for us to engage with the community in new and exciting ways.”
According to the release, ASO seeks to find a music director who can present a compelling vision for expanding the breadth of its performances, through creative and energetic repertoires that challenge the orchestra and engage audiences, and who has an interest in cultivating relationships with new and diverse stakeholders.
As ASO heads into this transition, the organization is excited to welcome several new members to its board of directors – each of whom bring their own fresh perspective, expertise, and energy, and who will help open new doors and opportunities for the organization. The new members include Benjamin Blanchet, Charles Boustany, Jr., Tonio Cutrera, Ryan Furby, Julie Isenberg, Jonathan Raush, Shawn Rhymes, and Stephanie West.
