The North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra (NSPO) will be led by a female conductor for only the second time in its 70-year history when Marshunda Smith takes the podium as guest conductor for the Winter Concert on Sunday, Feb. 25, at Swampscott High School.
As a long-time cellist with the NSPO, Smith will step into the conductor’s role while Music Director Robert Lehmann takes a sabbatical for the remainder of this season. Her position is particularly noteworthy given that she is an African-American female, a demographic that remains exceptionally underrepresented in orchestral music.
The Winter Concert will feature a Shakespeare-inspired program. Smith’s selections include Felix Mendelsohn’s “Incidental Music from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’” and Hector Berlioz’ enchanting “Love Theme from ‘Romeo and Juliet.”, along with Robert Shumann’s “Julius Caesar Overture” and William Walton’s “Two Pieces from Henry V.”
The rarity of female conductors in classical music persists even in contemporary times. According to a 2015 report from Classical-music.com, the official magazine of BBC Music Magazine, “The question ‘Why aren’t there more women conductors?’ remains as relevant in today’s music industry as it always has been.”
Research cited in that article indicated that women comprise barely 5 percent of conductors at the world’s leading orchestras. Although female conductors are gradually gaining visibility internationally, organizations like the NSPO are expected to serve as important platforms for their advancement in the near term.
“We are especially pleased that Marshunda aspired to this opportunity to conduct,” stated NSPO President Robert Marra Jr. “Most rewarding is that she is ‘one of our own’ as she has been an outstanding and dedicated musician and has assisted Dr. Lehmann for the past several years as she developed her conducting skills. When Mr. Lehmann announced his sabbatical that created two opportunities for a guest conductor this season, we were eager to have Marshunda fill one of those spots.”
Smith, originally from Tennessee, earned a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She went on to complete her master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting with an emphasis in music education at the University of Southern Maine, where she studied under Dr. Lehmann.
Concert tickets are available for purchase at the door at $25, with discounts of $20 for seniors and students. Children 12 and under attend free. Online ticket purchases can be made at www.nspo.org.
The NSPO presents three subscription concerts annually at Swampscott High School. The 2017-2018 season represents the Orchestra’s 70th anniversary. Support for the Orchestra includes a grant from the Swampscott Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Additional information about the NSPO is available at www.nspo.org or on Facebook.