Perhaps more impressive than his young age (he’s only 24!) is the new chief conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s incredible passion for music. From an even younger age, Alexander Prior has found music — particularly composing — to be an absorbing and entertaining form of self-expression. “The best way to make music is when you’re super honest,” he says. “Honesty is the most desirable attribute of a musician, and probably a person as well.”
He’s guest conducted the ESO several times over the last few years, so he already has a strong rapport with the orchestra and audience. In his new role, he wants to maintain the approachability and friendliness of the musicians, while evolving their style. It’s difficult to compare Prior and his style to the ESO’s previous conductor, Bill Eddins, who’s staying on as the musical director emeritus to assist with the Winspear Completion Project. “Every conductor has a different repertoire, different approaches that they love,” says Prior. “It’s a lot like comparing a helicopter and a plane — which is better or what’s different? They just do different things.” He wants to keep the conversation open by sharing his favourite music with the audience but also hearing from them what they enjoy. “I love sharing the music I love the most,” says Prior. “It brings me joy to see them learn a piece they didn’t know or be ecstatic to recognize a piece they do.”
In his work, Prior hopes to further unite Edmonton’s music scene by continuing to make the Winspear a welcoming space for anyone who has any level of interest in music. “The audience doesn’t make as much noise as they would in a pop concert or a rock concert, though I encourage clapping and whooping and even booing — whatever they want to feel like doing!” he says. “I encourage participation, but as a conductor, you feel the audience’s participation through energy and through that kind of togetherness.”
Although Prior’s spent most of his life attending symphony performances and counts concert halls among his favourite places, he still has a reason for people who’ve never experienced one before to attend. “Come here for the same reason you might go to the movies or you might go to another form of entertainment,” he says, “The reason you go is to be moved and to be entertained.”
Witness Prior at work at Edmonton Opera’s production of Elektra on March 11, 14 & 16.
