'06 Symphony was up, down

Normally, I devote my end-of-the-year column to reviewing some of the memorable moments in classical music. And there have been some wonderful concerts this year, thanks mainly to the talented amateur musicians in our community organizations.

But as far as the Utah Symphony & Opera went, the year has been a roller coaster ride. There were a few bright spots, to be sure, but the year was abysmally uninspired. (More on this later.)

Locally, the major news story this year was the announcement in November that Keith Lockhart would step down as music director of the Utah Symphony at the end of the 2008-09 season. Lockhart gave two reasons for his decision: He wants to spend more time with his family and he's interested in pursuing more guest-conducting engagements in the United Sates and particularly in Europe.

By 2009, Lockhart will have led the Utah Symphony for 11 years. Lockhart stepping down at this point is the right decision for everyone concerned. It gives him more freedom to see where his conducting skills take him. And with a new music director at the symphony helm, it will, hopefully, open the door to new creative ideas.

But only, of course, if a suitable person is chosen to succeed Lockhart.

The next 2 1/2 years will give the symphony ample opportunity to find someone to take over and steer the organization down the right path artistically. The symphony will be appointing a search committee, and, hopefully, the musicians' opinions will be taken into account when the short list of candidates is made — and, ultimately, the final decision.

Speaking of right decisions, whoever came up with the Utah Symphony's new slogan, "Awaken your better self," should have his or her head examined. For years, the symphony has been downplaying the perceived "elitist" image that classical music has for many. But this new slogan wallows in elitism. For some reason, symphony management is trying to persuade those of us who attend classical concerts that we're "better" than people who don't.

The slogan is repulsive. It does absolutely nothing to encourage people who already attend classical concerts to continue to do so. (Just look around at all the empty seats in Abravanel Hall. With very few exceptions, the symphony is consistently playing to less-than-full houses. Of course, there are more reasons for this than just a stupid slogan. Innovative programming, which has been almost nonexistent for the past several years, is a major factor in attracting audiences.)