Aaron Collins of the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra

By: Tobin Bennison

Article Category: 20 Questions

TWENTY QUESTIONS with Aaron Collins, Conductor of the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra

Within the profound realm of classical music, conductors are some of the most caricatured personages of the lot. The mere mention of them conjures images of gloweringly imperious white-maned figures gesticulating wildly from their symbolically heightened perches.

But along with a clutch of up-and-coming younger maestros throughout the country — and the world — conductors like 27-year-old Cocoa Beach native Aaron Collins, leader of the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, has set out to shatter this musty cliché. Thanks to a discerning, adventurous, and highly accessible program, which includes both contemporary works and beloved pieces from the past, Collins and the exceptionally talented musicians who make up the SCSO provide comfort to traditionalists and plenty of surprising challenges for a growing number of younger music lovers.

Maestro Collins spoke to us about such lofty subjects as Samuel Barber’s tearful “Adagio for Strings” and the virtues of a cookies n’ cream milkshake.

What do you like most about living in Brevard?
Primarily what’s keeping me here is the people and community. I have a lot of great friends and family in the area. I like the fact that this area has a big city/small town feel. Plus, you can’t beat the weather.

What are some of the fondest memories of your Cocoa Beach youth?
Well, it’s not every day you can get out of bed and walk right down to the beach. I had a great time in high school as well… maybe too good of a time.

How did you first get involved with the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra?
Well, the orchestra evolved out of a performance back in March 2009. The Space Coast Oratorio Society, a community chorus I conduct, performed Verdi’s Requiem. This particular piece of music requires quite a large orchestra. So I called many of my friends/colleagues who are professional musicians and filled the rest of the positions with gifted community musicians and talented youth. The performance was a huge success, and out of that the SCSO came to fruition. Over the entire summer and thousands of hours later, the Space Coast Symphony came to be. Our primary mission is to provide an opportunity for talented youth and college musicians to play alongside — and be mentored by — professional musicians. We have 22 talented youth musicians playing alongside professionals, which is something that is unique about our organization.

How is each season’s program put together?
Well, there are many different aspects to programming, and the SCSO is unusual in that the musicians have a say in the music we perform. Before we had any programs selected, I asked many of the musicians what would be their dream piece to play. After I collected their answers, I went on to program the season. If you look at our season’s programming, every concert is jam-packed with works you rarely hear in Central Florida. Not only is it because of the difficulty of the works, but also the forces (size of the orchestra) it takes to perform them. I also think it is vital to present music that is being written today. New music tends to be different from what most people associate classical music with. It generally has elements of atonality (music with dissonance and often not pleasing to the ear). However, you can’t keep going back to Beethoven or Brahms. There are many composers out there now who are writing wonderful music that is deserving of a performance. You have to be adventurous as well. However, adventurous programming should not be likened with contemporary music. Adventurous programming is about making interesting combinations, not about totaling up the number of contemporary works and exclaiming at the end of the year, “We performed 10 new works this season!” Lastly, it is important that the audience has an active role in both programming and listening. I enjoy conversing with audience members and finding ways to incorporate the audience into the musical process. There are few communal experiences left in our world and I love being able to create those exciting moments for both the orchestra and the audience. Most importantly, you have to program music that is playable in the amount of time you have. With two 3-hour rehearsals, you do not have too much time to rehearse. It’s always a challenge each and every concert cycle. But we are limited by finances. Each rehearsal costs $5,000 to $6,000. In an ideal world, three to five rehearsals would be great!

What other organizations are you affiliated with?
The Brevard Symphony Youth Orchestra, Central Florida Lyric Opera, Central Florida Winds and Chamber Winds, Community Band of Brevard, Orlando Concert Band, Pegasus & Colbourn Brass Ensemble, Space Coast Brass & Percussion Ensemble, Space Coast Oratorio Society, Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, and Trombonanza.

You’re also an accomplished composer. Tell us about the first piece of music you composed. How old were you?
I began writing music at the age of 9 or so. For several years, most of my music was imitations or impressions based off the music I listened to. As time went on, I started to find my voice (although that voice is still evolving). When I was 13, I wrote a work for orchestra and chorus called “The Dracula Suite.” I ended up winning several national competitions in 1993 to 1994, and it was the first check I received for my music. Funny thing is that this work still gets more performances than most of my other music.

As far as composing goes, where do you draw much of your inspiration from?
Inspiration can come from all aspects of life — your surroundings, the people you hang out with, where you grow up. Our generation of composers is the first generation to have music so easily accessible and at the tip of our fingers. We can access World Music, Rock, and even Uncle Luke. All of these things influence my music.

Do you have an all-time favorite composer?
Too tough to say… there are so many different composers out there. Here’s ten in alphabetical order: Samuel Barber, Bela Bartók, John Corigliano, Elliot Goldenthal, Gustav Mahler, Christopher Rouse, Igor Stravinsky, and John Williams.

What is your favorite piece of music, 1) to perform and 2) to listen to?
To perform: probably a Mahler Symphony. To listen to: For many years now, it still remains Samuel Barber’s Symphony No. 1. There is something about that piece that gives me chills each time I listen to it.

What in your opinion is the saddest piece of classical music out there?
John Tesh’s “I Want To Breathe Your Air.” All kidding aside, I think Henryk Gorecki’s Symphony No. 3 is pretty somber. But then you find uplifting moments in it as well. Another one may be Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” (most people may be familiar with it as the theme from “Platoon.”)

What’s the most difficult piece of music you’ve been asked to perform?
It’s hard to say… even a symphony by Mozart can be extremely difficult. Each piece presents new challenges. It takes quite a bit of preparation for each work.

Other than classical music, what do you listen to for pleasure? Do you have a favorite musician or band?
I like most genres of music. I primarily listen to classical. However, I like Rap/R&B, Rock, Jazz, and some Country. Outkast and Tool are a couple of my favorites.

What kind of music can you not stand?
Polka, some Country, and really slow Rap.

Along with several younger conductors, like Gustavo Dudamel, you’re part of a group that’s injecting new life into the scene. Are there any stodgy myths about conductors you’d like to dispel?
No not really… many of those stodgy myths are true! When people find out that I am a conductor, almost 85% of the time they say, “You mean the guy who waves his arms like this?” (then they proceed to conduct). There is a little more to it than waving your arms and making funny faces.

What makes a conductor a good one?
Conducting is the hardest and easiest thing to do. It’s the easiest because we’re not actually making any sound or playing an instrument. It’s the hardest because we have to somehow convince 85 people in front of us to move a musical phrase in the same direction and have that really be conveyed to the audience. Conducting is like any leadership position in that the power with which you are entrusted comes with huge responsibility. The musicians are relying on you to create an imaginative environment that shows them at their best. The audience is expecting to be moved and excited by your interpretations. One perceptual problem for audiences is that a conductor’s work is chiefly done in the rehearsals leading up to a performance. It is in rehearsal that a conductor has the chance to really work in detail at getting the musical results they are after. Some conductors talk a lot to get what they need out of the ensemble, while others show enormous detail in their physical gestures, which reduces the need to use many words. This is really the art of conducting — successfully converting the communication of mental will into the physical domain. The truth is, it is the musicians who really make the conductor look good. There is nothing like standing in front a group of such talented musicians and making music together. There is no other art form quite like it… it is quite similar to team sports.

Do you have a favorite meal?
A really good Cobb salad followed by a cookies n’ cream milkshake.

Favorite drink?
Vodka. I like Bloody Marys and martinis.

Favorite film?
“JFK.”

Speaking of which, you’ve composed music for films yourself and have a special affinity for composers of film music. Do you have a favorite composer? Is there a famous film you’d have liked to compose music for?
I really dig John Williams and Danny Elfman. Both are great composers. Ya, maybe something epic like “Lord of the Rings.” It’s not often you get a gig writing music for a film with such a large tapestry and scope.

The SCSO is also in need of funds and instruments. What can people do to help?
Live concerts once had the appeal that a new play or film would today. My concern is that, despite all the gains in public accessibility, something critical has been lost. This loss is the sense of a living culture, of people being directly engaged in music. The easiest way to help make this orchestra successful is simply attending our concerts. With a ticket price of $10, we are not profiting. We are simply looking to survive and provide affordable and exciting concerts to the community. One interesting note from our previous concerts is that 70% of our audience base is under the age of 40. I think this is something that is most unusual for most professional-level symphonies. I encourage everyone to come and check out a concert. The worst thing that could happen is that you don’t like it at all. That being said, it’s $10 and I think it is worth checking out. In addition, people are more than welcome to make donations. Lastly, we could always use volunteers and ambassadors for the orchestra. It would be fantastic if we weren’t bound by finances.

What are some of the things on your wish list?
Our Wish List gives you an inside look at all of the costs and hurdles that are presented to the SCSO throughout the year. Very often you donate money to an organization and have no idea how it is getting spent or where it goes. The Wish List allows people to see where their money is going. It includes various items necessary for the operation of the office, musician needs, music, instruments, and concert production.

What do you see in the SCSO’s future?
I think our two primary missions are so important. Ideally, I would love to see us do more concerts, have more educational programs, lower our ticket price even more, provide more free chamber concerts, and touch more lives. Also, I would love to do a Summer Music Festival in Brevard County similar to Daytona Beach’s International Festival or the Aspen Music Festival. With the support of our community, the sky is the limit.

For more information on Aaron Collins and the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, visit www.spacecoastsymphony.org.  Here’s a brief listing of some upcoming concerts for the SCSO: March 14 — Dvorak’s Requiem, a free foncert at Riverside Presbyterian Church in Cocoa Beach
featuring 70 singers from the Space Coast Oratorio Society; April 24 — Shostakovich’s Fifth at the First Baptist Church in Merritt Island, featuring 185 musicians from the SCSO and BSYO in a side-by-side concert. June 12 — “Made in America” at the First Baptist Church in Merritt Island, featuring the World Premiere of Brandon Clinton’s “Liberty for All”; July 17 — The Music of Brahms at the First Baptist Church in Merritt Island; August 7 — “The Joy of Music” at the First Baptist Church in Merritt Island, featuring world class saxophonist Dr. George Weremchuk.