When the Lexington Philharmonic began planning the process of replacing "the irreplaceable," as they put it, they knew they had a long, hard road ahead. The irreplaceable in this case is Dr. George Zack, music director and conductor of the Lexington Philharmonic for 37 years, and the journey is now on its second leg as a second season devoted to finding the conductor best suited for the coveted position begins.
Aptly titled "The Search ContinuesÖ," the eight-part MasterClassics series will kick off on Sept. 12 with Zack's final performance as the head of the Lexington Philharmonic before his retirement in June of 2009.
"I think it's going to be a very tough act to follow," said Danielle Dove, marketing director of the philharmonic. "There is an excitement, enthusiasm and optimism for the future, but it's also a bittersweet time."
A two-year process, the search for the conductor who will take Zack's place will end in the late spring or early summer of 2009, Dove said.
Altogether there are 10 conductors vying for the position; five served as guest conductors in the 2007-08 season, and five more will "audition" this season. Each guest conductor in turn commands the podium of the Lexington Philharmonic for one MasterClassics concert, giving the audience, and the search committee, a taste of what is to come if they are chosen.
The search committee consists of six past board presidents and board members and four musicians, and this group has now whittled down a list of nearly 300 applicants to the 10 they deem as being the best of the best.
"It was important for us to take the time to choose wisely," Dove said, "so that we have a good match for the orchestra, the musicians, the staff, the board, the guild and the community. There are so many different variables in pleasing everybody; we want somebody in there who is going to do what Dr. Zack has done for all these years."
Indeed, Zack has gone out of his way to be as involved with the Lexington community as he could for the past four decades. The name and personality which he has used to build an impressive resume of service has become known to a broader audience through his radio show, "Enhancement of Music," broadcast weekly on WEKU.
"He obviously loves his audience, and he is able to communicate well with the audience because of his gregarious personality," said Lexington Philharmonic Board President Larry Deener. "When he talks about the music, he's able to break down the complexity of what a composer is trying to do and explain to a listener how a piece is put together as well as the themes in a piece."
For Zack, the audience has always been the most important aspect of a performance, stressing that the music is never the same twice as the audience is never the same-meaning, keep it fresh and the music will have its own effect on each person.
"I say to the orchestra, 'You never know what baggage a person is bringing to the orchestra,'" Zack said.
The ideal orchestral setting for Zack is one where patrons feel free to react to the music in whatever way they feel moved, be it through tears or what some may call excited "outbursts" from children.
Zack speaks fondly of one person who he says found an outlet at the orchestra, a place where she could be herself. A woman with Tourette Syndrome who first began coming to the orchestra as a girl, this patron continues to come because of her passion for what she hears.
Because of her uncommon social behavior, Zack said she was unable to express herself and to be understood in her day-to-day life, but not at the orchestra. "To me she's charming: life personified. Music was a voice that spoke to her," Zack said.
Zack, who has spent a large portion of his time devoted to fostering a love for music in young people, went on to admonish the view that an audience must be uniformly traditional in what has for years been considered appropriate for orchestra behavior and dress. "I will not prescribe emotional behavior in an emotional setting," Zack said.
Recently, when several people involved with the Philharmonic wanted to set a dress code for the concerts, Zack refused to take part, saying that if they were to demand patrons dress a certain way he would have to step down from his position.
And he's still there.
"George, in a way, is the Lexington Philharmonic," said Thomas Slabaugh, former chair of the Artistic Committee of the Philharmonic and long-time friend of Zack and his wife, Kerry. "The orchestra's current strength and importance to Lexington as well as central Kentucky is a direct result of Dr. Zack's commitment and hard work."
Although Zack chose not to be on the search committee for the new conductor, he said he has gone to almost all of their rehearsals and takes an enormous interest in what he observes.
"What I would hope is that the conductor would come here not knowing this is a stop-gap, short-term job with a cheap, tawdry treatment of the position, while it is really a worthwhile position," Zack said
And while whoever is chosen can't be expected to stay for as long as Zack has, even he didn't anticipate such a long residence in the beginning.
"When we first came here, my wife was concerned with living in the South," said Zack, an Arkansas native. Kerry is from Massachusetts. "And she asked, 'How long do you think we'll be here?' To reassure her, I said, 'Most conductors stay three years.' She said, 'Well, anybody can do something for three years.' And now she would be the hardest person to have leave here."
Zack intendes to spend quality time at the family's Kiawah Island cottage outside of Charleston, S.C., upon retirement, kayaking and crabbing among other pursuits. His time will also be split amongst his two daughters and grandchildren, who, along with the rest of their family, will watch as Zack steps up on the podium of the Singletary Center for the Arts one last time.
The Sept. 12 concert will feature violinist Aaron Rosand and has an early 7 p.m. start time to allow for a 9 p.m. cocktail party honoring Zack's career. The party will be hosted by the Lexington Philharmonic Guild, the volunteer fund-raising branch of the organization.
The event is an opportunity for patrons to express their appreciation for all that the long-time community arts staple has done to increase the quality of life in Lexington.
"The situation is fraught with a lot of emotional content in that I've invited my dear friend and world-famous violinist Aaron Rosand, which he's doing as a gift to me," Zack said. "He's the first violinist I hired when I came here, and he'll be the last one when I leave."
Zack also noted that Brahms' "Symphony No. 1 in c minor, Op.68" was the first piece he performed as the new philharmonic conductor in 1972, and it will serve as his last as well.
Beginning its 48th season at the same time Zack will be ending with his 37th, the Lexington Philharmonic owes much of its development and success to Zack, who doesn't regret his decision to stay with one orchestra for so long.
"Each year," Zack said, "I had a new orchestra, and that may have been the result of me growing or the both of us growing together, but I learned that enrichment comes from organically growing something-not moving around.