Profoundest thanks to Leon Botstein, music director of the American Symphony Orchestra, founder and music director of The Orchestra Now (TŌN), and president of Bard College, very generous with his time this morning in discussing the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams, along with a great many other things, in connection with an article I am preparing on this year’s Bard Music Festival.

Botstein is co-artistic director of the festival, which completed its 33rd season on Sunday. He possesses an enviable combination of traits and talents, not least of which include intellectual curiosity, clearness of purpose, and an uncanny ability to trace baroque lines of thought through a network of arabesques while somehow never losing sight of his conclusions. The whole process is rather breathtaking, I must say. He plants his landings like an Olympic gymnast.

He also seems genuinely interested in getting to know his interviewer. It’s not the first time we spoke, but I walk away feeling as if the conversation was nearly as much about me as it was him. Of course, I won’t be appearing in the article.

Thanks again, President Botstein. Looking forward to “Berlioz and His World” at Bard in 2024!

Fisher Center at Bard