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South Carolina Conductors Reveal What it Takes to Lead an Orchestra

    Live classical music is widely available in the Palmetto State, thanks to orchestras in at least seven South Carolina cities. But even the same music can be approached differently by different orchestras and conductors. 

And Morihiko Nakahara, conductor of the South Carolina Philharmonic in Columbia, and Edvard Tchivzhel, who conducts the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, say that musicians have more say in modern symphonies than in the past, when the conductor was “the law.” In addition, Nakahara says that while conductors don’t play all the instruments in an orchestra, they need to have a feel for them all. Tchivzhel reveals the criteria he uses in selecting a piece of music to perform.

Tut Underwood is producer of South Carolina Focus, a weekly news feature. A native of Alabama, Tut graduated from Auburn University with a BA in Speech Communication. He worked in radio in his hometown before moving to Columbia where he received a Master of Mass Communications degree from the University of South Carolina, and worked for local radio while pursuing his degree. He also worked in television. He was employed as a public information specialist for USC, and became Director of Public Information and Marketing for the South Carolina State Museum. His hobbies include reading, listening to music in a variety of styles and collecting movies and old time radio programs.