'I'm luckiest man in the world,' pops conductor says

"My hope is that people will go, 'Oh, Jerry conducts this and this. Let's go try something new,'" he said. "If people say, 'Yeah, it's not really my thing,' I kind of go, 'Have you ever tried it?'"

Steichen believes that attitude applies to all arts and has found his plethora of experiences enriching.

"I think I am the luckiest man in the world because no one gets to have the wealth that I do just of experience," Steichen said, knocking on the wooden table, declaring he was happy to have so much work, "but sometimes I wish I had a little bit more time to enjoy each one, because I find myself going, 'OK, what's the next project?' "

After "Simply Sinatra," he's off to New Haven for a performance of Latin music, then on to Hartford for a St. Patrick's Day celebration. Utah audiences will be seeing a lot of Steichen at the Deer Valley Music Festival this summer, and he's expected to stick around for a few more years.

Steichen may always be on the go and sometimes lamenting the lack of time to savor his experiences, but he's grateful.

"Everyone's busy," he said. "I just get to be busy doing more of what I love, so that's great."

Email: hbowler@desnews.com

If you go …

What: "Simply Sinatra," Jerry Steichen, conductor, Steve Lippia, guest artist

Where: Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple

When: Feb. 24-25, 8 p.m.

How much: $27-$58, ticket price increases $5 if purchased on the day of the concert, group and student discounts are available.

Phone: 801-355-2787

Web: www.usuo.org