After more than a year of searching, the Eugene Symphony has announced its new music director and conductor. KLCC’s Brian Bull reports.
The search committee reviewed 250 applications from 34 states and 44 nations, before choosing Francesco Lecce-Chong. He’s been the Assistant Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony and Music Director of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Lecce-Chong says he’s ready to jump in and engage the arts community.
“I won’t go full out right away, as far as really, really going adventurous in my programming," Lecce-Chong tells KLCC. "But over time I want to build that level of trust so that people understand what we’re going to do.” 
Matthew Shapiro is President of the symphony’s Board of Directors. He says all three finalists were great, but Lecce-Chong shined through a program he did, featuring works by Bartok and Mozart.
“The concert was amazing. Particularly the last piece that he played, he got the most absolute, amazing standing ovation," he says. 
"I think he just pulled the audience into the music with him.”
Audiences will get to see Lecce-Chong’s premiere with the Eugene Symphony on July 22nd at Cuthbert Amphitheater.
WEB EXTRA: Hear an extended conversation between KLCC's Brian Bull and Francesco Lecce-Chong at today's event. He describes how he responded to the news of being chosen, and what intriguing and experimental piece he plans to share with audiences in a future program.
Copyright 2017, KLCC.
