The Short End of the Stick

Nov 28 2007
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Geoffrey Moull
Geoffrey Moull

Geoffrey Moull is Music Director of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. With an increasing artistic reputation built solidly on audience success, the ensemble has grown to become one of the best regional orchestras in the country. Under the direction of Mr. Moull, the CBC now broadcasts the TBSO regularly on national radio; their CD recording of Canadian compositions Variations on a Memory was nominated for a Juno Award in 2005.

Prior to his Thunder Bay appointment, Mr. Moull was Principal Conductor of the Bielefeld Philharmonic Orchestra and Opera in Germany. His international conducting career has included performances with such renowned ensembles as the Southwest German Radio Orchestra, the State Opera Hannover, the State Opera Berlin, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Pays de la Loire, the Metz Opera, the German Rhine Opera, the Luxemburg Opera, the San Remo Symphony, the Szombathely Symphony, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Nova Scotia, the Springfield Symphony and the International May Festival in Wiesbaden.

Mr. Moull's innovative spirit has led him to program and conduct many premiere performances, and he is responsible for the rediscovery of important compositions of the 19th and 20th century, including works of Berlioz, Schumann, Mahler, D'Albert, Schreker, Martinu, Honegger, Krenek and Weill. In addition to recording for both radio and television, his world premiere CD recordings of Louis Spohr's Faust and Theo Loevendie's [i]Esmée[/i] were received with international acclaim. Das Orchester, Germany's leading music magazine, wrote that "his interpretation was magnificent, with wonderful judging of phrasing, atmosphere and warmth" and he is the recipient of Opernwelt's "Opera Production of the Year" prize.

After earning a degree in conducting at McGill University in Montreal, Mr. Moull was awarded the coveted DAAD scholarship of the German government and completed post-graduate degrees in both conducting and piano at the State Hochschule für Musik in Detmold, Germany. He studied with Franco Ferrara, Sergiu Celibidache, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Edward Downes and Kyrill Kondrashin. In the course of his career, Mr. Moull was also Associate Music Director of the Münster Symphony and Opera and Principal Conductor of the Trier Symphony and Opera. Also active as a music educator, he was Music Director of the Orchestra of the State Hochschule für Musik in Münster and has given master classes for the State Music Councils of Bavaria and the Rhineland, and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

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My home orchestra has some of the best-behaved musicians on the continent, so I’ll have to think about this one. In general, I find orchestras are always on their best behaviour at concert-time, those little annoyances that make our leadership life difficult are essentially rehearsal-related.

As important as contract negotiations and other non-musical administrative matters are to player’s committees and to the players themselves, put them aside at the first downbeat. (And while doing so, remember that Music Directors are not only expected by their boards to be consummate musical leaders, we’re also called on in the name of orchestral success to be amusing cocktail-party lions, experienced talk-show hosts, perfect fundraisers, avid football fans and wizards of publicity. You too want us to put those diverse non-musical hats away for the 2 1/2 hours we stand in front of you and concentrate on music, yes?)

Other annoyances that can be easily avoided: when a section string player asks a question that could have easily been settled had they quietly asked their section leader first. Extensive discussions about bowings can be irritating for all and are usually unnecessary had the preparatory work been done properly in the first place. And if you feel a colleague made a mistake, please don’t tell them that across the whole orchestra, they won’t appreciate it anyway no matter how right you may be.

Last tip: even conductors need a breather to regenerate. Let the person in front have their 20 minutes of undisturbed freedom in the rehearsal and concert breaks as well, he/she will appreciate it and will return to the podium relaxed…and might even have a smile on their face.

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Geoffrey Moull
Geoffrey Moull

Geoffrey Moull is Music Director of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. With an increasing artistic reputation built solidly on audience success, the ensemble has grown to become one of the best regional orchestras in the country. Under the direction of Mr. Moull, the CBC now broadcasts the TBSO regularly on national radio; their CD recording of Canadian compositions Variations on a Memory was nominated for a Juno Award in 2005.

Prior to his Thunder Bay appointment, Mr. Moull was Principal Conductor of the Bielefeld Philharmonic Orchestra and Opera in Germany. His international conducting career has included performances with such renowned ensembles as the Southwest German Radio Orchestra, the State Opera Hannover, the State Opera Berlin, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Pays de la Loire, the Metz Opera, the German Rhine Opera, the Luxemburg Opera, the San Remo Symphony, the Szombathely Symphony, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Nova Scotia, the Springfield Symphony and the International May Festival in Wiesbaden.

Mr. Moull's innovative spirit has led him to program and conduct many premiere performances, and he is responsible for the rediscovery of important compositions of the 19th and 20th century, including works of Berlioz, Schumann, Mahler, D'Albert, Schreker, Martinu, Honegger, Krenek and Weill. In addition to recording for both radio and television, his world premiere CD recordings of Louis Spohr's Faust and Theo Loevendie's [i]Esmée[/i] were received with international acclaim. Das Orchester, Germany's leading music magazine, wrote that "his interpretation was magnificent, with wonderful judging of phrasing, atmosphere and warmth" and he is the recipient of Opernwelt's "Opera Production of the Year" prize.

After earning a degree in conducting at McGill University in Montreal, Mr. Moull was awarded the coveted DAAD scholarship of the German government and completed post-graduate degrees in both conducting and piano at the State Hochschule für Musik in Detmold, Germany. He studied with Franco Ferrara, Sergiu Celibidache, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Edward Downes and Kyrill Kondrashin. In the course of his career, Mr. Moull was also Associate Music Director of the Münster Symphony and Opera and Principal Conductor of the Trier Symphony and Opera. Also active as a music educator, he was Music Director of the Orchestra of the State Hochschule für Musik in Münster and has given master classes for the State Music Councils of Bavaria and the Rhineland, and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

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