I think because of where the Virginia Symphony is developmentally it's a very important and crucial decision.

We must make the right decision at this point for the history and for the future of the Virginia Symphony.

At first, there were six.

And in just a few minutes, the Virginia Symphony will announce who from among the six candidates will be its new music director.

Hello, I'm Vian Webb, and welcome to Our Place, Our Time.

When the Virginia Symphony searches for a new music director, it is a significant event.

A music director does more than just choose what an orchestra is going to play.

A music director does more than cokes a fluid sound from among 80 musicians all playing at one time.

A symphony's music director personifies music in a community.

The spirit and the leadership of that person can have a significant impact on the cultural life of the area.

The Virginia Symphonies had only six music directors in its 70-year history and in just a few minutes, a new one's going to be named.

But first, Tim Morton wants to review the profiles of the six candidates for us who have led the orchestra this season.

Leading the symphony was their first job, but because a maestro also has to be a combination prince charming or princess charming and CEO, it was necessary to observe the candidates in their different roles.

Raymond Harvey, conductor of the Springfield, Massachusetts Symphony described the personality a music director has to have to knit the roles together.

I think that you have to be the kind of personality that your face can be associated with the symphony.

People have difficulty thinking of an organization just as a mass of bodies or a large administrative staff.

They have to have one person that is the person that's brought to mind when the Virginia Symphony is mentioned.

It's also someone who hopefully will be an educator, who will be trying to invite the audience to learn more about this wonderful vast repertoire of music there is.

And in a very non-condescending way trying to share some of his knowledge with the audience about this great literature.

She was the only woman among the candidates, but in a short time, Joanne Foletta has achieved a national reputation.

She presently directs three orchestras.

I anticipate this is a time in my life of change and I will be probably continuing with only one of that, those three orchestras.

Because I've come to the realization that I need to spend more time with fewer groups and I think that that's what many conductors in the United States have found.

We need to devote ourselves more to the communities in which we work.

You know, it seems to me you've gotten everything here recently.

You've gotten an enormous amount of publicity.

You're being called a pathfinder for women conductors.

At the same time, the critics in California are looking at the clothes you're wearing and commenting on the pants suits and things.

What h- how do you, how are you handling that?

You know, I can't really worry about it too much.

I, I think it's actually kind of funny in a way, you know, that, that and sad in a sense, because we have so few women that there's no standard dress and people are still perhaps uncomfortable enough with the idea of a woman on the podium that dress becomes an issue when it shouldn't be.

You know, and my, my aim with whatever I wear is to be as non-distracting as possible because of course we want the audience to use their ears.

We want them to be involved in the music in an oral way.

While the symphony was listening and looking, the candidates were also.

Robert Henderson wanted to learn about the area's cultural amenities and we visited the Chrysler Museum with him.

A music director in the United States has to be far more than a podium conductor.

You've got to be a public relations expert, executive, teacher.

Comment on those for me and where are your strengths?

It's really difficult, you know, because they expect such a broad range from one individual.

And of course, ultimately the music is the most important thing.

My strengths may be administratively in learn... I've had to learn to work with small budgets, how to, how to be creative with rehearsal time and with programming and things to make best use of the resources.

And I think for most of the smaller orchestras, that's very important.

And with the people skills, I'm, I'm not the kind of person that can go out and ask for the money, but I can do the setup.

I can talk to them about, you know, what music will do for the community, how important it is.

But then I want a board member to come in behind me to actually say, "Now this is what we want you to write on the check."

Let's find out something about you personally.

Do you have any hobbies?

Yeah, this, I don't talk about this one much because people think it's so bizarre, but my basic hobby is mountain climbing.

I rock climb and ice climb and, and generally do alpine peaks in the United States, Alaska.

I've climbed in Japan and Europe and a few other places.

For me, it's a thing getting outside because there's so much study involved in, in being a conductor, so much inside work.

I love to be outdoors.

I love doing something physical.

And also in climbing, there are great challenges, great personal challenges.

And it tells you a lot about yourself.

Kenneth Keesler got outside to do some jogging and he's been running as a maestro too.

He took his Illinois Chambered Orchestra to a triumphant Carnegie Hall debut.

I'm looking for an orchestra where I can do some more new things, some new repertoire, but also go back to the repertoire I've been building, which is very wide, broad.

And do those pieces which really spoke to me the first and second and third time around and go back to them again and dig a little deeper.

An orchestra that has a technical level that can accomplish anything I ask of them.

Anything the music asks of me and asks of them that we can do together.

An orchestra that has enough of a sound foundation that it can build on it, which this orchestra does in a community that's willing to support it.

It's big enough.

Is interested enough in the arts to be able to do it and to reach for the top.

I mean, when I told the people in Springfield, Illinois we're going to play Carnegie Hall, I said, sure we are.

And we did it.

We did it successfully.

We packed the place.

The New York Times wrote a huge story about us on the arts and leisure section.

And they couldn't believe it, you know?

All kinds of interest from recording companies and so on.

That's in Springfield, Illinois.

Just imagine what can happen here.

I have a feeling good things can happen and that's why I'm here.

Of all the candidates, Richard Buckley stands forth as the most experienced.

He was for five years the conductor of the Oakland California Symphony and has an international reputation for both opera and concert music.

What makes you interested in being the music director of the Virginia Symphony?

The question.

I'm at a point in my career in life where the possibility of coming to a community and having the support of the community and the desire of the community to generate and create an organization of true artistic merit and of more national standing is a challenge that I think can give me a lot in my life.

Plus there are family considerations.

I have two children.

We have young family moving on and from what I understand, this is a wonderful area to live in.

And also at present for the past years, I've been on a guest conducting a stint all over the world.

And after a while you get a little tired of that and if the situation is right and there is support and there's excitement and desire to move forward with an organization, it's, it's a very rewarding thing separate from making good music.

What music turns you on?

Oh, As a conductor.

And as a listener.

My soul musically is unabashedly romantic.

So I mean, if that gives you a, a propensity.

For example, my Baroque music, my bache fairly on the romantic side.

And if people don't like that, then that's, that's their choice, but that's who I am and that's what comes to It.

Leif Bjaland, presently an associate with the New World Symphony Orchestra in Miami Beach and the last candidate to lead the orchestra, studied conducting with the great Sir George Schulte, for whom Beyond has fond memories.

His energy is the first thing that you, that you're captivated by.

He's, he's incredibly gusto, his, his, his love of life and all of that.

He he told me many useful things.

Probably the most useful thing I think he's ever told me was, was, was that there are many roads to Mecca.

Or he says, "There are many roads to Mecca," because he has a strange kind of chokey voice.

And there are many roads to Mecca.

You can, you can make your, your life in music in all sorts of different ways and you just have to be true to yourself and be persistent.

And I've tried to follow that advice ever since.

Once more here are the six candidates.

Richard Buckley, Raymond Harvey, Kenneth Keesler, Leaf Beyond, Robert Henderson, and Joanne Fileta.

And there you have it.

The six candidates, all young Americans with reputations and recommendations to commend them.

To find out who the one will be, we join Tim Morton in the WHRO teleconference studio where the Virginia Symphony is about to announce its decision.

Thank you, Vian.

About 200 people have gathered here to hear the announcement to end a 17 month long search.

Here's the order of events.

First, we'll hear from Mrs.

Patsy Carpenter, president of the Virginia Symphony, who will introduce Mrs.

Clay Barr, who was chairman of the search committee, the committee that found the new music director.

Mrs.

Barr will introduce the new music director.

Now I take you to Mrs.

Patsy Carpenter, president of the Virginia Symphony.

Welcome to the beginning of a new era for the Virginia Symphony.

I'm Patsy Carpenter, board president.

On behalf of the board, I'm delighted to welcome you to this evening's main event.

The official announcement of the appointment of the new music director of the Virginia Symphony.

This is the person who Mark Mobley, music critic for the Virginian Pilot Ledger Star, recently described as "The most important artistic official in Hampton Roads."

The search committee under the chairmanship of Clay Barr has done an outstanding job for the past long 17 months.

I want to compliment the committee on their dedication and commitment and congratulate them on the results of their efforts.

Clay Barr, a former president of the Virginia Symphony and search committee chairperson will make the announcement.

Thank you, Patsy.

One of Michael Ticknus's first great accomplishments on arriving at the Virginia Symphony was to convince our board that we needed a musical advisor for the 1990-91 season.

The choice of Joseph Silverstein for that position has made the job of the search committee easier in some ways, but more difficult.

Because Mr.

Silverstein is so respected, we attracted wonderful candidates.

We were able to narrow down to six great musicians, all of whom have delighted Hampton Roads during this season.

Then the hard work for the search committee began.

We have interviewed our board members.

We have asked our audiences to fill out questionnaires.

Of course, our musicians' interests were a primary concern to us.

Having considered all of those, then we started making endless phone calls around the country.

We called the references that were given to us and then we ferreted other people to call.

I got quite accustomed to calling various law offices, CPAs and what have you to speak to board presidents.

Then I proceeded to call the president of the board of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra.

And when I rang the number that had been given to me for his office, a very little voice answered, Hamburger Henry's.

Hamburger Henry must have been frying burgers when I called because he couldn't come to the phone.

But when he called me back, I said who I was, why I was calling, and I wanted to know what he though of Joanne Falletta.

He said, "If you take 100% and multiply it by a thousand, that's what you get when you get Joanne Falletta.

That was good enough for me and I'm sure it will be wonderful for all of us and it is my great pleasure to introduce you to the newest musical star in Hampton Roads, Joanne Falletta.Thank you.

Thank you very much.

To say that tonight is a happy night for me really would be a tremendous understatement.

It's a night that I have been hoping for since January when I had the great pleasure of working with this really special orchestra.

During that week long experience, I was impressed not only with the artistic potential of the Virginia Symphony, but also with the fact that it was a wonderfully valued organization in the community.

And your presence here is a testament to that.

The people of Hampton Roads recognize our orchestra as the artistic treasure of our region.

And I can't imagine a more auspicious beginning for a conductor.

A superb musical ensemble and a community that truly cherishes that ensemble.

I know that for so many of you, the Virginia Symphony is an absolute passion.

And I feel very honored and privileged by the fact that you have invested your faith in the future of this great orchestra in me.

Together as partners, we will see the beginning of a new era for the Virginia Symphony.

Together we will create a great musical experience for our community.

Together we can and we will make the Virginia Symphony the artistic beacon of excellence in the entire mid-Atlantic region.

I look forward to a great future together.

Thank you.

Joanne, congratulations.

It's wonderful to have you.

Well, it's wonderful to be here.

I'm thrilled.

I'm thrilled by the appointment.

You are now conducting three orchestras.

What's going to happen to those?

Well, I will be leaving the Denver Chamber Orchestra at the end of next season and that would be, that's a significant amount of time for me and will allow me to dedicate most of my time to the Virginia Symphony.

I'll continue my association with Long Beach Symphony in California and with the Women'sville Harmonic.

With both of those for how long do you think?

It's hard to say.

I have a three-year contract with Long Beach and one year remaining on my contract with the Women'sville Harmonic.

It is your plan to live here, I believe.

Is it not?

That's right.

I'll be looking for a residence this summer and I'm sure I'll find a place I love.

I've, I've already impressed with how beautiful the Ear is.

You know, one thing we haven't talked about is you are married and your husband lives in New York on the East Coast.

Was it part of the reason that you wanted to come here was to come back to the East Coast?

That definitely was.

And of course, partly it was because of Robert, but more so it was because I feel that there's a tradition of music making on the East Coast that really is unrivaled.

And I wanted to come home.

I'm from New York, I'm from the East Coast, and the East is home to me.

And again, the music making here has a kind of heritage behind it, a tradition that we don't experience in other parts of the country.

Next year you will do five of the nine concerts in this series, including the Messiah in December, correct?

That's right.

You have spoken often and been quoted often about you believe that orchestras should perform new music and especially American music.

And you yourself have given world premieres to 43 works.

What music do you have in mind for this orchestra?

Well, you know, every orchestra has its own unique identity and its community has special needs and special wants.

So I need to come up with a formula that's going to work well here.

And that will incorporate, of course, a lot of the classics, a lot of the great standards of the repertoire.

But I think also some more challenging and perhaps more, some spicier examples as well.

I think programmed in a way that will really bring the community into a new approach to music making.

You don't think of you.

You say you're not a pathfinder for women, but you continue to be one though, aren't you?

Don't you?

I never intended to, so that's why I can't take any credit for it.

I feel enormously privileged to be working in the classical music field and to be working as a conductor has been my dream since I was 12 and - Thank you very much.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Joanne Falletta, the new music director of the Virginia Symphony, ending a 17 month search.

Now back to you, Bayan Webb.

Thank you, Tim.

And we certainly want to wish the Virginia Symphony much success in its upcoming seasons.

On this April day, Sesame Street relocated to The Scope in Norfolk.

Thousands of Hampton Roads military families lined up to see their favorite Sesame Street performers live on stage.

Welcome to the party.

The popular children's show characters, Gordon, Susan, Luis, and Maria volunteered their time along with Navy musicians to entertain this military town.

It's good for us to actually see live children.

Once we're in the studio, you're kind of in a closed off environment.

You're sending the message, but it's a wonderful affirmation for them to sing with you and know who you are and everything, because that means they're getting it.

Loretta Long, who plays Susan on the show and has been with Sesame Street since its beginning 22 years ago says the more children, the merrier.

We get as good as we give.

It's a lot of fun.

And a lot of fun was the idea.

As part of Operation Homecoming, WHRO Virginia Beach and Norfolk Psychiatric Centers and the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce sponsored the event.

12,000 tickets were distributed to military families with a thought toward relief from the pressures brought on during the Persian Gulf War.

And fun is what these children had.

It was fun.

It was great.

It reminded me when I was young.

I still watch it though.

Just as in the show on television here in Norfolk, Sesame Street cast members surrounded themselves with fine fun from their local fans.

I'm Holly O'Neill reporting.

We want to turn now to another success story.

The annual student gallery shows sponsored by the Virginian Pilot, Legistar and Crestar Bank.

Now in its 19th year, this annual exhibition has served as a catalyst for careers and to focus community attention on the value and quality of student work.

Student Gallery 91 is the first such exhibition that has been on display in the Chrysler Museum.

Carol Rand reports.

When I was a kid, I used to look at the master's work in art books and all I knew is that I wanted to be just like them.

And that's all I knew.

And now look where I am in New York pursuing my art career.

10 years ago, New York artist Julie Harvey was presented with the First Place Award in the 1981 Student Gallery Competition.

She is one of almost 6,000 Hampton Road students who have participated in this annual arts event created for 11th and 12th grade high school students by Crestar Bank and the Virginian Pilot Ledger Star in 1973.

Nationally recognized the program has been extended to students in Northampton Roads.

The 1991 exhibition is especially exciting.

The Chrysler Museum has offered its facilities for the final award ceremony and its galleries for the student show.

Student art seldom gets the public recognition it deserves.

The student gallery competition affords that type of recognition.

Students from all over Hampton Roads join together at Scope to view each other's work, to see what the competition is like.

Respected judges give students as well as teachers and supervisors insights into the type of work that we're doing, into the strengths of our programs.

It says to the student that people who are professionals in that field value their work.

After the first round of judging at scope, senior staff members from major museums like Randolph Williams from the Metropolitan Museum of Art make the final selections.

The, the final critique is probably one of the most enjoyable aspects of the whole process.

I enjoy that part because we tend to think that the students getting the primary awards are the real winners, but my feeling is that everyone has won.

The families are there, the families are involved.

And it's the idea of having done or having created a work of art that becomes so significant.

When I walked into the exhibition, I was really very much impressed by the work.

And one of the things that's so impressive about the work in general is that you think that you're coming to a place that one might consider much smaller than a place like New York City and you'll find work that's not comparative to what you see every day in New York.

And I was really somewhat taken aback by not only the quality of the work, but also the sensitivity involved in the work and understanding of contemporary materials, technology, the understanding of what one would refer to as installation materials.

So the students in this particular exhibition at the student gallery moved much further beyond than what one would ordinarily think for a high school age student.

As I look back now, I think that the student gallery was a turning point.

It marked the end of my high school and was opening the door to my professional career.

I spent my entire senior year preparing for a student gallery competition.

And during that time I tried to produce the very best works that I possibly could.

While I was working, I had this goal in the back of my mind which was to be recognized.

And when I won the competition, that was proof that I had something special that I needed to bring out.

When I was a kid, I used to look at artwork of old masters in art books and all I knew is that I wanted to be just like them.

And that's all I knew.

And now look where I am in New York pursuing my art career.

Okay, before you start putting any more carings on here, I want to see what you're going To - Ironically, the idea for the student art show was almost rejected by its founders.

Emily Payne remembers the very day the concept was brought to him.

The director of marketing, Father Bank, came to me with the genesis of this idea.

And frankly, I thought he was out of his mind initially.

I did not think we'd get the support from the school administration, the high schools themselves all the potential partner of the newspapers.

It it's been a very gratifying experience for me to see that my initial reaction was totally wrong.

The end result has simply been unbelievable.

Three years ago, Student Gallery received a national award in New York.

But what's most exciting is seeing the talent and enthusiasm that goes into the works that are on display and knowing that that talent and enthusiasm goes right back into the community in Hampton Roads.

And that's what Student Gallery is all about.

Next week on Our Place, Our Time, we want to review what's happened to the arts this season in Hampton Roads.

We'll have some success stories for you, of course, but we'll also have some stories of financial crises, both with the professional organization and with arts in the schools.

Then we want to take a look at a controversy that surrounds the planned renovation of a performing arts center in Norfolk and have a story about a touring theater for children that has thrived on the production of original plays that have controversial subject matter.

For Our Place Our Time till next week, I'm Vian Webb.

Partial funding for Our Place Our Time is made possible by grants from the Arts Commissions of the Cities of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and from the Arts Commissions of the Cities of Newport News, Norfolk, Hampton and Williamsburg.