The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/31419
Casual Chit Chat: Conductor Jason Curley Conductor Jason Curley Each week, we casually talk with a member of the community. This week, of Hartwick College and Cassandra Miller chit chat, casually. Where did the idea for Rock Orchestra come from? I’ve always wanted to fuse these two art forms and do songs I love _ songs from the ‘70s and ‘90s. I hate the ‘80s, but the kids love it. I wanted the focus to be rock music. And the orchestration counts as scholarly work for me. Rock Orchestra is so marketable and exciting, and the music is really chal- lenging, too. You are involved in everything _ a board member of Foothills, involved in guest conducting, music direct- ing for musical theater, organizer of Hartwick’s Sum- mer Music Festival. How do you organize and have energy for everything? I keep everything in my head. I have a photographic memory. There are a lot of people who help with each project _ great staff at Hartwick and Foothills. Nothing I do is a one- man show. I like being absolutely, swarmingly busy. I have a ton of energy. I barely sleep. And the students’ enthusiasm helps keep me energized. You traveled with the national tour of “Camelot” as a conductor and French horn player, and you’ve music directed several community theater shows in Oneonta. What’s one of your favorite theater experiences? Other than “Camelot,” “Amahl and the Night Visitors” (at Foothills in December 2010) went really well _ we had a full orchestra, were on the main stage, everyone did a great job, and it came together really well. “Guys and Dolls” at the University of Arizona (when Jason went to graduate school) was one of the biggest orchestras I’ve ever had, and three of the actors I worked with are now on Broadway. What’s the key to making Foothills successful? We have a board meeting today, I’ll ask. We ask that ques- tion every time. Booking and pulling off good shows. Fund- raisers. Kicking off with Gordon Lightfoot I think proved our value. We have to finish the building. The hope that someone will drop $1 million is gone. Funding is going to come from the community at large. A lot of people are going to feel that they are a part of it. What are your non-music hobbies? I’ve collected hundreds of pop-up books. Some of them are very old. Some of them are very cool. I found this Czechoslo- vakian book from the ’30s or ’40s while I was on tour and just though I’d collect pop-up books. No one really does it. I also love to work out. I love my students; they’re like family 14 O-Town Scene May 12, 2011 because I’m not married and don’t have kids. What musicians would perform in your dream orchestra? That’s a really hard one. It would be a very eclectic ensemble. Gustav Mahler would conduct. Thelonious Monk would be on the keyboard. I would have to sit and name a crazy musician on every instru- ment. Like Paganini as the concert master on first violin. There’d be rock musicians, too. Jaco Pastorius would be the bass player. Who are your favorite rock musi- cians? Led Zeppelin. I love Stevie Wonder; he’s a great songwriter. And I like bands from the ’90s like Pearl Jam. And just about any concept album like “Dark Side of the Moon.” I like the songs that hook everyone _ they have a good intro, a good pre- chorus, a good outro and a good bridge that gets you out of your chair. How often do you gig? I did 10 gigs with the Albany Symphony last week. I have a regular rotation of French horn and guest conducting at area all-state and all-county festivals. When did you start playing French horn, and what got you interested? I started playing in fourth grade. It looked like such a beautiful instrument and I couldn’t imagine it making a bad sound. Until I picked it up. But then I went through four private instructors, and kept playing it, and now I’m a pro. You had an interesting upbringing: I’ve lived in 28 states. This is the longest I’ve consistently lived anywhere in my life _ I’ve been at Hartwick in Oneonta for three years. I had divorced parents, musical parents who played gigs and toured _ country music mainly. My dad was a touring country western musician out of Nashville. Every- one in my family sings. My dad is a professional steel guitar player and singer, and still performs. My mom was a hippie where I get away. What’s the best part about living in Oneonta? The fall. It’s an absolutely breathtaking view out my window. And the people. The people are very welcoming. And the size of the community. It’s small enough that everyone can be a little star. and my dad was a country boy. The two families live in Montana and Wyoming. Tucson is what I consider my home base. I go back probably three times a year. That’s