Interview with conductor Marin Alsop

UO Presents: Interview with Marin Alsop from Eska Laskus on Vimeo.

I had the privilege of interviewing Marin Alsop last month, when she came to visit Eugene. Marin is one of the most formidable conductors of our day, as well as the first woman to head a major American symphony orchestra (Baltimore Symphony). While in Eugene, she conducted a side-by-side reading of Mahler’s 9^th symphony with the University of Oregon Symphony Orchestra alongside Eugene Symphony players. She’s an incredible musician and a hugely inspiring person.

In the few minutes that I had with her, she was able to give her thoughts on some important subjects like:

·         The role of music schools in the 21^st century (00:42)

·         Biggest faulty assumptions of music students (1:43)

·         Role and importance of music career mentors (2:38)

·         On self-doubts, support systems and key to success (4:02)

·         Why Mahler 9^th? (6:08)

These are all crucial things to keep in mind if you’re a past, current or future music student. So check it out!