By Daniel Buckwalter
(#CommonManAtTheSymphony)
It was a night rich in brava moments, and the end result this spring could be that the Eugene Symphony Orchestra might have just its second female presence on the podium as its new artistic director and conductor.
Maestra Tania Miller — the fourth of five finalists to audition to succeed Francesco Lecce-Chong as artistic director for the Eugene Symphony (and the only woman among the five) — was magnificent on Jan. 23, 2025, in leading the orchestra through a pair of Finnish works from Jean Sibelius and contemporary composer Andrea Tarrodi as well as Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major.
People noticed, too. Miller received the ovation she richly deserved from the near-capacity audience in the Hult Center’s Silva Concert Hall. In fact, if foot traffic alone means anything, many patrons immediately made a beeline for the symphony’s information table afterward to enthusiastically fill out a survey on Miller’s behalf.
She made a mark.
From the delicate and often lush phrasing of the two Finnish composers to Beethoven’s technically challenging piece (kudos also go out to guest pianist Harmony Zhu), Miller was in command throughout.
It was mostly a quiet and understated performance on the podium, the flourishes of Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1 in E Minor being an exception.
Instead, it was the twitch or quiver of the baton and the eyes burrowing on an orchestra section, as if walking hand-in-hand with a section through a phrase. There was economic authority and dynamism to her movements and leadership that was a pleasure to watch.
All of that made watching Miller on the podium during the fourth and final movement of Sibelius’ symphony bring a smile to my face.
That final movement is joyful and triumphant, and once the orchestra had zeroed in on the energy that Sibelius laid out, Miller stood straight and appeared to dance in place to the fierce cadence the orchestra was belting out. She was absorbed with the music, and the audience had become absorbed with her.
There is one last finalist for the artistic director position — Taichi Fukumura — and he gets his turn to shine on Feb. 13 at the Hult Center.
For now, though (and so far for my money), Tania Miller is the leader in the race.
One sad note: The Jan. 23, 2025 concert was the final concert for Julie Winsel as the Eugene Symphony Orchestra’s marketing director. She and her family are moving to Seattle in early February to be nearer to relatives. Winsel anchored the symphony’s information table on concert night and gave the Eugene Symphony a presence on social media. She also was patient with me the past couple of years, and that’s no small feat. Eugene Scene wishes the Winsel family all the best. — Daniel Buckwalter
