Music director candidate No. 5

Arthur Post has a special place in the orchestral conducting world. Actually, he has two special places.

The fifth of nine candidates for the position of music director of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Post is in his seventh season as music director of the San Juan Symphony. (No, not that one. That's the Puerto Rico Symphony.)

Post, 49, is based in Durango, Colo., and Farmington, N.M., the two cities that are both home to the San Juan Symphony. He and his wife, Gemma Coma-Alabert, a native of Barcelona, Spain, and their 2-year-old daughter call Durango home.

He will conduct the Richmond Symphony "Symphonic Firsts" Masterworks concerts tomorrow at Second Baptist Church, Saturday at First Baptist Church and Monday at St. Michael Catholic Church, all of which will begin at 8 p.m. He also will be on the podium for the orchestra's Pops concert "Hollywood Nights," which will celebrate music from famous movies, at 8 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Landmark Theater.

Born in Norwalk, Conn., Post graduated from Yale University summa cum laude with distinction in music. He has a graduate degree from Juilliard and has studied at the Tanglewood Music Center and the Salzburg Mozarteum.

Helping listeners understand the creative process is important to Post.

"Several years ago, I saw a listing for a well-known orchestra and the program was entitled 'Simply Stupendous Schubert.' That might sell some tickets," Post said, "but that's not the kind of theme I'm interested in. I want to put together a program that, if it has Brahms' first symphony on the bill, I want the audience to understand what Brahms went through when he wrote that work."

Post, who studied double bass, has conducted a variety of operatic repertoire from Haydn and Mozart to many contemporary works. He is fluent in a variety of musical styles, including jazz and popular music. He has conducted tours with popular artists, such as James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, and has performed in PBS Pittsburgh Orchestra pops television specials with Marvin Hamlisch.

Post has conducted orchestras and operas throughout the world, and has recorded with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra for the BMG label.

His first permanent position was as assistant conductor, then resident conductor, of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra from 1993-97. He stepped in several times for music director Lorin Maazel, who is now music director of the New York Philharmonic. In Pittsburgh, Post was active in programming and audience development for the orchestra's outreach education program.

From 1997-99, Post served as associate conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under music director Zubin Mehta. After that, he spent a year as resident conductor of The New World Symphony, where he worked with artistic director Michael Tilson Thomas in training America's young professional orchestral musicians.

There definitely is a meaning to Post's programming ideas.

"We're not just playing a symphony. We're going to examine what it meant for the composer to write these symphonies, or anything else for that matter," Post said. "The audience should get a special experience . . . something more than just listening to good music."

Post said he believes he has a good combination of experience and energy for the RSO position.

"My family and I would look forward to moving to Richmond," Post said. "It's a big organization, a big job, and I think it is best served by a full-time music director."

Contact Walt Amacker at (804) 649-6247 or .