Bramwell Tovey conducts the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.Photograph by: Handout, Vancouver SunVANCOUVER — Internationally renowned conductor Bramwell Tovey said on Friday that the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra has received a flood of support after it refused to allow its name to be associated with the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The decision came after Tovey, who has led the VSO since 2000, was asked to conduct the recording session, but then was told another conductor would mime his performance at the ceremonies.
Tovey, who has been a guest conductor at the London, New York and L.A. philharmonics, said that what happened was “a shame” but that he had received many letters of support for the decision.
“I’m delighted by the response we’ve had today,” Tovey said on Friday. “We even had people send the VSO money today, but it has been a very special day in terms of people’s support.”
Tovey declined to comment on why Vanoc wanted to use another conductor for the ceremonies. One reason might be that producers of big events often pull together many different artists in an ensemble production.
“I don’t find it surprising that [the VSO] would not want to do that job under those conditions,” said George Laverock, program director for MusicFest Vancouver.
“It’s really a much more complicated issue. These shows have so many elements, and that’s just one section of the show so they have to have someone there that looks like he is conducting the overall thing, but they put together sections and some of it would be more pop and many other different styles of music.”
A Vanoc official contacted Friday said there was nothing to add to the statement issued earlier by David Atkins, the executive producer of the opening and closing ceremonies.
In that statement, Atkins said for “international televised live spectacles of this size and scope, it is standard practice to prerecord the musical segments to ensure the integrity and security of the broadcast transmission.”
He also said sections of the pre-recorded music will feature a larger ensemble than appears on stage.
British actor Christopher Gaze, best known as the artistic director of Vancouver’s Bard on the Beach, praised Tovey’s decision Friday.
“I admire Bramwell Tovey enormously; he is one of the great musicians of the world and I am extremely sympathetic and supportive of what he’s done because I think it’s a very bold move,” he said, shortly before hosting the VSO’s A Traditional Christmas Friday evening.
Gaze, who is also an ambassador for Vanoc and will be carrying the Olympic torch on Jan. 24, said it was his “Christmas wish” for Vanoc to sit down with the VSO and find a middle ground.
Art Willms, chair of the board for the Vancouver Symphony, said the VSO had “a very good relationship” with Vanoc. He suggested the controversy had been blown out of proportion and that Vanoc had simply made a decision about how to deliver some music.
He said the board was pleased because the VSO would still be heard at the Games.
VSO president and CEO Jeff Alexander said the orchestra was asked to record a piece of music for the ceremonies, but was not asked to appear in the show. He said although Vanoc offered to credit Tovey and the VSO, it “wouldn’t have made sense to allow the VSO name to be used.”
The VSO will perform at three events co-produced by Vanoc during the Games, he said.
ticrawford@vancouversun.com
With files from Randy Shore, the Vancouver Sun
Source:vancouversun.com/
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