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Show r Utah Symphony Names j Varoujan Kodjian Permanent Conductor Varoujan Kodjian, 34, native na-tive of Lebanon and currently conductor of the Swedish Royal Opera Orchestra, is the new music director and conductor con-ductor of the Utah Symphony. HE SUCCEEDS Maurice Abravanel, who resigned for reasons of health last spring after leading the Utah Symphony for 32 years. Maestro Kodjian signed a multi-year contract in Washington, D.C., with Wendell Wen-dell J. Ashton, president and chief executive of the Utah Symphony. THE NEW director was selected from over 120 symphony conductors who were considered for the position posi-tion by a Utah Symphony search committee, headed by Dr. R.J. Snow, University of Utah vice president. Other members of the committee com-mittee include Dr. Lowell M. Durham, Mrs. Norman C. (Barbara) Tanner, Mrs. David L. (Blanche) Freed, Christie Lundquist, representing the Symphony's musicians, M. Walker Wallace, all of Salt Lake City, and Thomas J. Moore, Ogden. ASSISTING the committee were Herold L. Gregory, executive director of the Symphony, and Carleen Landes, Symphony office manager. Maestro Kodjian is expected expect-ed to assume the Utah Symphony helm next spring, when he completes the opera season in Stockholm. A naturalized, na-turalized, not yet married, United States citizen, he will make his residence in Salt Lake City and is expected to rehearse and conduct the orchestra for a minimum of 32 weeks each year. ROBERT Henderson will continue in his position as assistant as-sistant conductor. The signing of the new music director came much more swiftly than expected. He was in Salt Lake City last weekend at the request of Mr. Ashton, and conferred at length with Mr. Ashton, Mr. Gregory, Dr. Snow and Dr. Durham. IN A specially called session ses-sion Tuesday evening of the Utah Symphony Board, following the annual "Salute to Youth" concert in the new Symphony Hall, authorization was given to execute the contract con-tract with Maestro Kodjian in Washington, D.C. There he met Mr. Ashton while the Maestro was en route from Louisville, Ky. to Stockholm. He had been conducting the Louisville Symphony in a recording session. "Maestro advised me by telephone from Louisville on Tuesday that he had a generous contract offer on that day from the Louisville Symphony," Mr. Ashton said. "We then moved into action promptly. However, we explained to Mr. Kodjian we were not going to indulge in a salary bidding contest with the Louisville Symphony. He assured us that our salary figure was not the determining determin-ing factor in his decision to come to Utah. "THE HIGH quality of culture cul-ture and lifestyle in Salt Lake City, its people, and its orchestra and the new Symphony Hall were what influenced me to accept the Utah Symphony position," Maestro Kodjian told representatives of the Symphony Board. "We feel fortunate to obtain the services of this brilliant young conductor," said Mr. Ashton. "He comes with the unanimous and enthusiastic recommendation of our search committee. In several visits with him during the past month, I have been impressed with his high character, his integrity and sincerity, and with his unusual qualities of leadership." MAESTRO Kodjian was introduced in-troduced formally on the weekend to Maestro Abravanel, who was noticeably noticea-bly touched. Said Abravanel to Kodjian: "Please take good care of my 'daughter' (meaning (mean-ing the Utah Symphony)." Maestro Kodjian will be in charge of selection of repertoire, reper-toire, selection of guest conductors con-ductors and artists and of determining de-termining and directing the musicians of the Utah Symphony, all in cooperation with Mr. Gregory as the orchestra's executive director and under the general direction direc-tion of the Symphony Board. . OF ARMENIAN descent, Varoujan Kodjian grew up in Paris and was graduated from the Paris Conservatoire at 13 with first prize in violin. He came to the United States to continue his education with Ivan Galamian at the Curtis Institute of Music and then traveled to Los Angeles as one of 280 hopefuls auditioning for private instruction with Jascha Heifetz at the University Univer-sity of Southern California. The master accepted only three students. Varoujan Kodjian was one of them. IN 1964, still in his teens, Kodjian joined the Los Angeles An-geles Philharmonic as an assistant as-sistant concerlmaster. While serving in this capacity, he became interested in conducting con-ducting and began the serious study of the baton. For practical prac-tical experience, he formed an orchestra of his own, later becoming musical director of the Beverly Hills Orchestra. In 1970 when the Philharmonic Philhar-monic was searching for an assistant conductor, Zubin Mehta asked for Varoujan Kodjian. A HARD decision followed: the violin or the baton? Mr. Kodjian chose Ihe latter and the next year was off to Vienna Vien-na to study with Hans SwaYowsky. Four months later, he was appointed Swarowsky's assistant, going on to complete the maestro's four-year course in nine months of intensive study. "Varoujan Kodjian is destined des-tined to become one of our leading conductors," Swarowsky wrote. "In my many years of conducting and teaching conducting, I have seen and educated only three really big talents: Zubin Mehta, Claudio Abbado and Varoujan Kodjian." SEVEN YEARS into the future fu-ture would find Kodjian on the podium as guest conductor conduc-tor of the Israel Philharmonic at the invitation of Zubin Mehta. Kodjian added to his growing grow-ing reputation by capturing first prize at the International Competition for Conductors in Sorrento, Italy in 1972. A major tour of Europe followed, during which he conducted orchestras in Vienna, Paris, Dresden, Stockholm, Lisbon, Rome, Naples, Warsaw, Bucharest and Bratislava. HIS SUCCESS with the Stockholm Radio Orchestra brought him the coveted position at the Swedish Royal K Opera. . . ;. The press was enthusiastic from the start: "The Royal Opera's new conductor, Varoujan Kodjian, conducted the new production of Rossini's Ros-sini's The Barber of Seville' with great expressiveness, with sparkling wit, but also with lyrical sweetness and grace." (Aftonbladet, Stockholm). IN 1973 when Kodjian .e-turned .e-turned to guest conduct a special concert, the Los Angeles An-geles critics knew they were witnessing the emergence of a major new artist. Daniel Cariaga wrote in the Los Angeles An-geles Times, "Kodjian is clearly a leader of special attainments at-tainments and promise." Writing in the same newspaper, news-paper, Walter Arlen went even further: "Varoujan Kodjian must be something of a magician. His work on the !j podium is smooth, unob- ; trusive and relaxed and wi(h !j personal style. He is naturally ' gifted." WHILE Kodjian held the position of associate conduc- I tor of the Seattle Symphony, his prodigious talent and thorough training kept the Seattle critics searching for ways of describing him. Responding to a program if., symphonies by Mozart and: Mahler, the Seattle Timej critic wrote, "Kodjian has 14 be accounted an extract dinary conductor of world class; the orchestra clearly loved making music with him and what music they made!; Fresh, exhilarating Mozarc and sumptuous, lyricaf Mahler." j s SINCE Varoujan Kodjian! has completed his en-! gagement with the Seattle Symphony, moving on in the! international musical scene,! the critics have summed up: his achievements there in; glowing terms: "A moret eloquent and mature in- troduction of Bruckner's: Eighth Symphony would be-hard be-hard to imagine," wrote R.M.: Campbell in the Seattle Post-: Intelligencer. : j "The orchestra transcend-: ed itself under Kodjian. He-hears He-hears things conductors of: i lesser talents and cruder; musical tastes do not. With; Kodjian the orchestra-straightens orchestra-straightens its back, takes at deep breath and learns hows good it can sound." j - |
