Levi Makes Sudden & Sparkling Appearance with ASO

Yoel Levi, who led the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) for 12 years in the late 1980s and 1990s, recently stepped in on short notice to lead the orchestra again. With only one day’s notice to prepare for rehearsals, he led the orchestra and the chamber chorus in a program of three works by Franz Schubert.

The performance included Schubert’s last symphonic work, his so-called Great Symphony, the “Symphony Number Nine.” It’s a challenging work, filled with warm, lush melodies and Levi was pleased with how the orchestra responded under his leadership.

“It was really like a homecoming, in a way,” Levi said. “And it was a wonderful week. The relationships with the musicians, some of whom I knew personally from the past, were wonderful. The music making was great.”

Judging from the response on the Atlanta Symphony Facebook page, those attending were also deeply impressed with the conductor’s skillful performance.

One concertgoer described how “the orchestra played with palpable enthusiasm. and the all-Schubert program was simply magnificent.” Another commented, “Maestro Levi really made the evening extraordinary. His energy and grace are phenomenal.”

Levi has called Atlanta home since 1988, when he first came to the city as musical director of the symphony and led it through some of its most memorable concerts, including its performance at the 1996 Olympic Games and more than 30 critically acclaimed and award-winning recordings.

He lives just three miles from Symphony Hall, so it was an easy journey for him. The ASO has not had a conductor living in the city since 2000. Levi was able to quickly replace the ailing Nathalie Stutzmann, the present music director who lives in Switzerland. Her contract was recently given a three-year extension.

Levi conducts internationally and is the music and artistic director of the Haifa Symphony, where he recently conducted sold-out performances of Tchaikovsky’s lyric opera, “Eugene Onegin.” He also is a frequent guest conductor of the Israel Philharmonic.

“The music world in Israel is back,” he noted, “and all the musical organizations, are all performing, as we say, around the clock.”