New director ready to try new things with Richmond Symphony

It all started with the kettledrums. A friend of the Richmond Symphony's timpanist suggested Steven Smith as a candidate for music director. The timpanist tipped off the search committee, which sent a few members to Akron, Ohio, where Smith was guest-conducting a concert.

After scouting a rehearsal, they took Smith out to chat about the Richmond Symphony opening. Clarinetist Jared Davis, a search committee member, was with the group that night and recalls that Smith told them he wasn't in the job market because he was happy where he was.

But Smith, 50, decided to go through with the audition, and Jim Jacobson's friend's hunch was right. Smith was appointed music director of the Richmond Symphony on March 4 after a search process that spanned nearly two years, produced nine finalists and brought Smith to Richmond twice to direct three concerts.

If Smith wasn't really looking for a new job, what changed his mind? The newly renovated Carpenter Theatre was a significant factor, said Davis, as was the relative youthfulness of the orchestra members.

For his part, Smith had high praise for Richmond Symphony musicians. In a recent phone interview from his home in Santa Fe, N.M., he described being "thrilled" with the talent and commitment of the orchestra. "[I felt] a sense of collaboration that we've just begun to touch the surface of."

He also said he was excited about the extent of the education programs. "I felt a great sense of support [for education] in the entire organization. That was something I found very attractive about this position."

Smith and his wife, Stacia Lewandowski, will move to Richmond this summer. He will retain his current part-time music director positions of two much smaller musical organizations, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony and the Santa Fe Symphony and Chorus.

Smith has led the Santa Fe Symphony since 1999. Principal clarinetist Lori Lovato, who has played with the orchestra for 20 years, described Smith as "an amazing musician" who leads the symphony in inspiring concerts.

"He's always incredibly prepared for rehearsal. He's always very respectful of the musicians," she said.

Smith took on leadership of the Cleveland ensemble in 2004. The group, which was founded in 1980, is dedicated to commissioning and performing works by contemporary composers. Jocelyn Chang, principal harpist and a founding member, said Smith can bring new music to life like magic.

"Steven can see everything so clearly," Chang said. "He makes [the music] jump off the page." She said the musicians of the Cleveland Chamber Symphony are "big, big fans" of Smith, whom she also described as a fabulous teacher.

Smith said he looks for ways to increase the connections between music and listeners. He enjoys giving pre-concert talks -- which the Richmond Symphony offers before its Masterworks concerts -- and said he'd like to try new things, such as showing period photos or other visual elements to place the music in context for the audience.

He also likes to combine art modes. He dreams of working with a theater company to produce "A Midsummer Night's Dream" or "Peer Gynt" and would love to commission new works that bring contemporary composers and visual artists together in an exploration of a historical event or the natural environment.

"Many, many people are interested in different aspects of the arts. By helping to draw parallels, we go further down the road to making the case of how essential the arts are," he said.

Smith is an award-winning composer himself, but he expects his new job will move composing to the back burner for a while.

"He shows a great balance between being a clear conductor but at the same time is very clear with emotional content in music. He's not just a traffic cop," Davis said. "I'm really looking forward to that."

Angela Lehman-Rios lives and works in Richmond. Contact her at angelalehmanrios@yahoo.com.