THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 5, 1994 TAG: 9406030091
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: G9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: MARK MOBLEY
DATELINE: 940605 LENGTH: Medium
Assistant Conductor Luke Douglas Sellers ended his four-year tenure last Sunday with an outdoor concert at the farm called Windsor Castle. As he noted between numbers, his appearance there was fitting. The first time he heard the orchestra was at the farewell concert of music director Winston Dan Vogel.
{REST} Sellers got a much warmer send-off than Vogel, who had developed acrimonious relationships with musicians and orchestra staff members. This time, instead of Vogel mumbling about getting out of the state in a hurry, the audience saw a breezy podium host.
Sellers wore festive dinner jackets and appeared in a space suit to lead the opening fanfare of ``Also sprach Zarathustra,'' the ``2001: A Space Odyssey'' music. He good-naturedly relinquished the baton to play fourth horn in a march.
It was appropriate that Sellers, 33, would say goodbye with a pops concert. Light fare was what he did best. His classical concerts were uneven, ranging from the high points of elegantly shaped chamber performances to the disappointments of messy Chrysler Hall concerts.
Sellers' principal achievement in the past four years has been witnessed only partially in Hampton Roads. He has developed a side career as a ballet conductor through performances with local companies and tours with the Joffrey Ballet.
``I've had a wonderful time here,'' he said toward the end of last Sunday's concert. ``It's a beautiful state and I look forward to coming back many, many times in the future.'' Don't be surprised if he shows up with a few dozen dancers.
\ SILL THE SUCCESSOR\ Sellers' successor has stood in for him before. Andrews Sill, former associate assistant conductor of the Florida Symphony Orchestra in Orlando, subbed for an ailing Sellers during two weeks in 1991.
Sill led an all-Mozart concert at the Wells Theatre ``with unusual lightness and brilliance,'' The Virginian-Pilot said, in a favorable review.
Sill is a graduate of Yale University and has a doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music. As a guest conductor, he has appeared with the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, the New York City Ballet and the Spoleto USA Festival Orchestra. He will join the Virginia Symphony staff July 1.
\ THIS WEEK\ ``ChamberFest'' is a concert featuring five local chamber groups Monday at 8 p.m. at the Wells Theatre, Norfolk. The program includes Apollo, Capriole and the Norfolk Chamber Consort, as well as members of the Tidewater Classic Guitar Society.
The performance also marks the debut of the Feldman Piano Trio, including Virginia Symphony concertmaster Vahn Armstrong and principal cellist Janet McCarron Kriner, with pianist Lee Jordan-Anders of Virginia Wesleyan College. Tickets $12, or free with the purchase of a season ticket from any of the participating groups. For more information call 498-9396.
Guitarist and composer Paul F. Renz moved to Minneapolis a year ago, but he's returning to Norfolk to host the 10th annual concert of his works. Friday's Chrysler Museum Theater program will include the premieres of ``Not Quite Blues'' for guitar and ``A Dance for Oboe, Horn, Strings and Congas.'' The concert is at 8 p.m. Tickets $10.
by CNB