Symphony Space – Downtown Magazine

David Hayes is a skilled, versatile and prolific conductor. He is the Music Director of both the New York Choral Society and the Mannes Orchestra. He has also served on the conducting staff of The Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. David has also overseen concerts for the European Center for Opera and Vocal Art, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Washington Chorus, and the Louisiana Philharmonic.

On Nov. 18, David will be conducting the Mannes Orchestra as they perform works by Bolcom, Ginastera and Harris. He caught up for some Q&A with Downtown earlier in the month to talk about his upcoming events and what actually got him to where he is today as an in-demand conductor. More info on David and other upcoming concerts can be found on The New School’s website.

What can you tell me about the upcoming event series for the Mannes School Of Music? Any particular events you are most excited about?

David Hayes: The entire year is a celebration of Mannes’ Centennial, so the events that are coming up not only celebrate Mannes’ history but also its present and future. We are focusing on composers, alumni and faculty — like our recent Alice Tully Hall Orchestra concert which was led by JoAnn Falletta (an alum) with music by Bohuslav Martinu (faculty in the 1950’s), as well as a cello concerto by composer Paul Moravec and played by Jeffrey Zeigler (both current faculty). We have exciting projects coming up with composer Kaija Saariaho (Composer-in-Residence this Fall) more music on the next Mannes orchestra by a former faculty member (Roy Harris’s 3rd Symphony) Mozart’s Cosí fan tutti, staged by our fabulous opera department, and then two exciting “movie” projects: “(Un) Silent Night featuring a live score played to Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last, and Howard Blake’s score to the beloved film The Snowman at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And that’s just the Fall semester!

Where was the first Mannes-related event you ever worked on?

DH: I think the first Mannes Orchestra Concert I ever conducted was at Symphony Space, 96th & Broadway. Rhat was when the school was at its previous home on West 85th Street.

You are a Music Director for several organizations beyond Mannes. What else do you have coming up?

DH: I’m leading performances with the New York Choral Society at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Nov. 9, the U.S. Premiere of a concert Mass by Maltese composer Joseph Vella, and then a Christmas Concert at Alice Tully Hall on Dec. 21st. We return to Carnegie Hall in February for music of Duruflé and Haydn and then give the New York City premiere of James MacMillan’s St. Luke Passion in April.

Was it always the plan for you to be a conductor? Were you ever focused on being a full-time instrumentalist?

DH: I always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to conduct. So while I studied violin and viola and was playing a lot — tons of “gigging around” — my professional conducting life started taking off quickly after my graduation from the Curtis Institute of Music and I simply didn’t have to time to play anymore. So I never did work exclusively as a full-time instrumentalist.

Outside of the classical and orchestral realm, have you attended any concerts recently?

DH: Actually, no! My schedule is so jam-packed that I can barely keep up with my own rehearsals and performances. It’s really hard to find time to hear other concerts — much as I’d like to!

Do you have a favorite album of 2016?

DH: Hmm, nothing specific that was released just this year. But I recently downloaded some performances of pianist William Kapell — seriously good playing!

When not busy with music, how do you like to spend your free time?

DH: I read a LOT. Besides that? going on long walks down the East River Promenade and binge-watching Gotham and Stranger Things!

Do you have a favorite restaurant in New York?

DH: I adored the Beacon restaurant on 55th near 6th Avenue, but it closed. My current favorite is Vic’s on Great Jones Street — wonderful food!

Finally, David, any last words for the kids?

DH: My simplest advice is “truly love what you do.” This is a very hard life, with lots of sacrifices. The only way it makes sense is if you love it so much that you can’t imagine ever doing anything else. If you have that fire inside, you at least have the possibility of success!

In celebration of the 60th anniversary of Edith Piaf’s legendary final performance at Carnegie Hall, Piaf! The Show comes to Carnegie Hall on Jan. 6, 2017. In two 45-minute acts, the show narrates the rags-to-riches story of the Parisian singer’s career, as complemented by a visual tapestry of previously-unreleased photographs and images of famous locations of the Edith Piaf era. The Carnegie Hall show is the highlight of the American leg of a tour that has sold out in many cities around the world with over half a million tickets sold in more than 30 countries.

Anne Carrere, star of Piaf! The Show, is a native of Puget Ville, a small town in the South of France. She studied at the renowned art school Salon-de-Provence and is diversely-skilled, trained within the classical, jazz and breakdance dance styles. The show’s director Gil Marsalla, began studying music at the age of 14 and is an acclaimed musician, music director, conductor and artistic director. Since 2007, he has been touring his productions worldwide and has successfully presented his shows to sold-out houses in New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Tokyo, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and Montréal.

Downtown spoke to both Anne and Gil about Piaf! The Musical and their personal histories with our city. For more info on Piaf!, visit www.piaf-theshow.com.

What do you love about New York City?

Anne Carrere: I love the power of the city; you feel such positive energy here, like everything is possible. Also, the incredible variety of people you see all around you — so many different cultures, so many different things to eat — bagels and dim sum and empanadas! New York is truly a melting pot. I don’t know New York City very well. I’ve only been here two times. The first time was for a showcase at the APAP Convention to present Piaf! The Show last January and the second time was last October for a performance at Symphony Space. I hope to have more time to explore New York and sample everything, but we are always very busy and constantly on the move when we are on tour.

Gil Marsalla: New York is my favorite city in the world, after Nice, that is! New York is where all of my success began when I came here in 2009 with my first tour of an earlier Piaf! production. New York is one of the greatest centers of show business in the world, and Carnegie Hall is the perhaps the most prestigious venue in New York. In Europe we all have heard of Carnegie Hall, where Edith Piaf performed in 1956 and 1957. Just a few French stars have performed there, so it will be an honor to represent France and present Edith Piaf there on Jan. 6.

What do you like to do when you are in New York City?

AC: I have only been here two times before and had no time to visit the most famous sites like The Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, or Ground Zero, but one time I took the Staten Island Ferry to see the New York City skyline by night, and it was awesome. I also walked around Times Square and was dazzled by the lights of Broadway. I would love to stay for many months. Perhaps one day the show will play on Broadway, and I’ll see my name in lights! That would truly be the thrill of a lifetime.

GM: I’ve been to New York many times, but for me it always feels like the first time. I love this city very much. I love to wake up early in the morning, go for a run in Central Park and afterwards have corned beef hash in a neighborhood diner — so different from France!

What does Carnegie Hall mean to you?

AC: It’s amazing! I can’t believe that I’ll be performing there in January. It’s a dream come true for a young French singer like me. I’m so excited, and I hope the audience will love the show. I’ll be under a lot of pressure before I step on-stage, remembering that Piaf gave one of the greatest performances of her life there. This is a very important step in my career. Presenters from all over the U.S. will be in the audience.

Gil: I first visited Carnegie Hall many years ago as a young French tourist and I said to myself: One day I’ll produce a show here. And here we are, only 20 years later! I’m very aware that Edith Piaf, Charles Aznavour and Jacques Brel — all of the legendary French singers — performed there, not to mention all of the other great artists from around the world. I am very proud, and humbled, to be in their company.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obpUmr1s8kQ