With new leadership in San Diego’s three flagship classical music institutions, change is in the air, and with it a renewed sense of excitement.
Martha Gilmer took over the San Diego Symphony in late 2014, and with the orchestra’s search for a new music director and its increasing presence in the community (it’s now San Diego’s largest arts organization in terms of operating budget), it’s future seems bright. David Bennett’s tenure with the San Diego Opera began in mid-2015, but expect him to start making his mark on this community treasure in 2016. And Kristin Lancino has an enormous opportunity as the new president and artistic director of the La Jolla Music Society, which moves into its own hall in 2018.
We asked each of them for three New Year’s resolutions. Here are their responses:
Martha Gilmer
CEO, San Diego Symphony Orchestra
My New Year’s resolution is to wake up every day with three words in my mind: curiosity, knowledge and joy.
▪ If we continue to be curious and desire to learn, we open ourselves up to all that is possible. Whether hearing a musical work you have never heard before, reading a book, learning to sail, getting to know someone better, whatever is new — I want to embrace it!
▪ Curiosity leads to knowledge, and informed thinking takes us to a higher level of human comprehension. In San Diego, I have met a scientist who knew volumes about Shostakovich, a physician who is mad about Mahler, and an oncology nurse who thinks about the effect that music has on patients and healing. Continuing to expand our knowledge allows us to keep growing and developing. As a dear friend said to me recently, after returning from a cultural event, I pity the people who stayed home tonight to watch TV rather than experiencing the vitality of a live cultural experience shared with others.
▪ Most of us need to have more joy in our lives, which is a direct result of being open to ideas, experiences and people. Music, literature, art, dance, film and friends bring us vitality and joy and lift us up.
All of these are reasons why I am so excited that January will bring the first annual festival featuring the San Diego Symphony, entitled “Upright and Grand.” Throughout the month of January, the varied programs within the festival allow us to learn more about things we already know, and about things we have yet to discover. It crosses over all genres of music and the arts, including symphonic music, recitals, jazz, lectures and hands-on learning through master classes, “Play Me” pianos in public spaces, and a free day of “Hands On” experiences. Experiencing all of this together as community can bring us joy — and in the complexities and challenges of today’s world, we all need to have more joy.
David Bennett
General director, San Diego Opera
▪ Solidify local cultural partnerships. I’ve now been here six months and have had terrific conversations with local cultural leaders about potential collaborations. I hope 2016 will see many of these ideas become real.
▪ Increase the opera’s impact on San Diego’s many diverse communities. San Diego Opera is planning a variety of productions that will speak directly to the various communities that make up the population of San Diego. We want to begin to make these a reality in 2016.
▪ Explore more of San Diego. To better understand our community, I want 2016 to be a year of exploration and continue to discover the people and places that make San Diego unique.
Kristin Lancino
President and artistic director, La Jolla Music Society
▪ Keep open for all adventures: Becoming president and artistic director at La Jolla Music Society this fall is just the start of my newest journey, and I’m ready for it. My personal adventure involves moving across the country from New York City to San Diego, finding a new home, meeting new people and making friends, all while acclimating to a snow-less winter! La Jolla Music Society also presents many new possibilities. At The Conrad, our new performing arts center opening in 2018, I know that we can share a rich variety of music and excellent performances with the San Diego community. It would also be an adventure to have our creative composers be a more integral part of everything we do — cross genres!
▪ Learning San Diego: My next resolution is to soak up San Diego. This city is my family’s new home, and we want to explore everything it has to offer. I’ve just begun to immerse myself into the performing arts opportunities in San Diego — a path on which I will continue. In a short time, I already see and hear the natural resources in our own artistic community. Our city will grow and thrive through innovative multi-arts collaborations, and the possibilities are quite apparent. I look forward to finding unusual and meaningful partnerships for La Jolla Music Society, and in the near future, The Conrad. On a more personal note, I really do need to discover the best dog parks in town (think off-leash, big dog).
▪ Keep learning: My final resolution is simply to keep learning. I’m passionate about process and education and am grateful for what I have learned throughout my career. Yet the road ahead humbly remains a path still to absorb and understand. I plan to keep listening, to keep asking questions and not to look back, left or right, but keep looking forward. All experiences are an education.
(Do I need to say — go to the dentist, get more exercise, meditate?)
