July 1, 2008: Dvořák Symphony No. 9 now available

The New World Symphony is for me, above all, a journey — Dvořák's journey to America, getting to know its people. But more importantly, it's Dvořák's own spiritual and emotional journey: from his intense longing for his beloved Bohemia to the thrill of the "new world" and its varied peoples, to thoughts of going home. —Marin Alsop

More from BBC:

"[Her] new version [of Dvořák's New World] with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is certainly one to take very seriously…There is plenty of attention to detail: in the first movement just listen to the build up to the main Allegro and the care Alsop and the Baltimore players take over the phrasing before the recapitulation. But while the detail constantly catches the ear, there is also a very powerful sense of forward impetus, at its most acute in a thrilling conclusion to the movement. And in the process, there's no sentimentalising or excessive deference to the lyrical moments to rob the work of its essential freshness."


Buy Dvořák: Symphony No. 9; "From The New World"

Read the entire review from BBC Music Magazine

June 19, 2008: Medici.tv - the new home on the web for free classical music webcasts - kicks off its summer season June 20 with a live concert from the Aspen Musical Festival headlined by Joshua Bell and Jeffrey Kahane.

Marin Alsop, Joshua Bell, and the Emerson String Quartet are just a few of the names visitors can expect to see in the opening leg of an expansive and varied multimedia venture that promises nearly 50 live concerts over the next six weeks.

The new Paris-based website, in addition to serving up live performance webcasts from some of the world’s most exciting music festivals and concert halls, will also provide access to an extensive video library of performances by leading stars of today and legendary artists of the past- not to mention a host of documentaries, exclusive interviews and special events.

Read the entire article and interview with Medici.tv Music Director Director Hervé Boissière at Playbill Arts.

Medici.tv website

May 16, 2008: Thoughts as I Leave the Bournemouth Symphony After Six Years

Hear Sandy Burnett interview Marin

This is a bittersweet week for me as I wrap up my six year tenure as Principal Conductor with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. I doubt that I will ever encounter such dedicated and devoted musicians or such loyal and supportive listeners as I have been privileged to have here in the southwest of England.

The concerts at our main venue in Poole have been true artistic highlights, especially the Bartok Festival that we did in May of 2007 where we performed a semi staged production of the opera, Duke Bluebeard's Castle, and the complete ballet score for the Wooden Prince complete with a newly created video presentation.

I've enjoyed developing relationships with all of our various audiences, from Exeter to Bristol to Basingstoke to Portsmouth. I would hazard a guess that the Bournemouth Symphony is easily the most traveled orchestra in the world; and, although I will be immeasurably happy not to have to spend so many hours battling traffic, I will definitely miss each of our unique audiences around the country.

Our recordings are another great source of pride for me. Over six years we will have released 15 CDs on the Naxos label, from Adams to Takemitsu, Weill to Orff! With many more to come, I am thrilled to continue this important work with the orchestra.

I am pleased to accept the position of Conductor Emeritus with the BSO which means that I will continue this rewarding relationship for years to come, returning annually to conduct and record with the orchestra.

It is with great thanks and much love that this chapter of my career and life concludes.

May 15, 2008: Postcard from Milan

In April I made my debut at La Scala, becoming the first woman to conduct the orchestra in its 230 years of existence! The first woman thing does get a bit old - it seems like such a ridiculous reason to garner attention - but I must confess that my experience at La Scala was truly thrilling. The legacy, tradition, history of the gorgeous hall is palpable and I felt instantaneously transported to another era. It's as though time has stopped once you enter La Scala. And, judging from the attention I received, having a woman conductor at La Scala was a major occasion for this venerable institution!

The musicians seemed curious and slightly bemused for a few minutes at our first rehearsal and then we quickly got down to the business of making music together and the woman issue was a non starter!

The press were, as you would expect, more focused on discussing this historic event and I had one of the most entertaining and enjoyable press conferences with a dozen or so Italian journalists. After we advanced past questions about whether I can cook and what I wear, we had some very deep and interesting discourse about the issue of women in leadership roles. Our current presidential run up is both timely and fascinating as a reference point for these discussions.

In the end I realized that we all have different life experiences that shape and mold how we perceive the roles of women and men in our immediate society and was once again impressed by people's ability to suspend long held reservations about what women are capable of, and embrace the reality that great music is great music whether in the hands of a man or a woman.

May 12, 2008: BBC Rebroadcasts Mahler 9 Performance

Catch the BBC relay of Marin's phenomenal Mahler 9 performance last week with the Bournemouth Symphony in Poole - available streamed on the BBC website through May 15th.