An Ode to 25 Years of Joy With Peter Bay

Austin Symphony Orchestra Music Director Peter Bay takes the spotlight at last week's celebration of 25 years of his work and dedication to ASO (Photo by Randy & Jackie Smith Photography)

No name rings more synonymous with “Austin Symphony Orchestra” than that of conductor and ASO Music Director Peter Bay.

He is the face of an organization that has supported and enhanced the harmonic excellence of this live music capital for 111 years, nearly a quarter of them spent with Bay at the helm. It’s a legacy built on genuine passion, something wholly on display last Thursday evening as ASO celebrated his 25th year running – and sometimes stealing – the show.

Anyone who’s seen Bay in action will tell you that his conducting dances. On Mozart’s Symphony No. 10 in G major, the wand flicks buoyantly across each note while Bay hunches down, smiling as if he and the instrumentalists share a secret. Later in the evening, during the second “Marche” of Francis Poulenc’s Deux Marches et un Intermède, Bay’s ominous conducting visually mimics Sweeney Todd brandishing his razors to the sky. It’s a delight to watch, and event co-chairs Linda van Bavel and Isabel Welland clearly know it, because they’ve reversed the standard conductor-orchestra orientation for this anniversary performance: The instrumentalists face the stage along with the audience, and all eyes rest on Bay in the center. Tonight, he’s the star.

Bay’s enthusiasm for the music was matched only by the attendees’ enthusiasm for him. Along with the in-person speakers, a number of congratulatory videos were sent in from out-of-town collaborators and colleagues, including trombonist Andre Hayward and violinist Midori Goto. Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, presented Bay with a Texas flag that had been flown at the Capitol on behalf of his anniversary, a physical testament to the deep appreciation Bay has earned from peers across the state.

Austin Symphony Orchestra Music Director Peter Bay (Photo by Randy & Jackie Smith Photography)

“Peter meets you where you are.” It’s said multiple times over the evening, a simple phrase laden each time with fresh adoration, and it’s true: Even here, at an event designed for him and attended by some of ASO’s most dedicated sponsors and patrons, Bay took time to introduce each piece, providing context to bring the entire audience along on the journey. Before launching into “Le Diner” from Strauss’ Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, he walked through several musical “jokes” written into the piece, playing and explaining each one so the audience knew what to listen for later. It’s a touch that elevated the experience even as it demystified the art form, and a microcosmic sampling of what makes a night at Peter Bay’s ASO so special – this is about accessibility, about broadening the love of classical music to anyone willing to listen.

In keeping with that ethos, the evening unveiled ASO’s new Peter Bay Fund, intended to forward the org’s mission to “enhance the cultural quality of life for the adults and young people of Austin and Central Texas by providing excellence in music performance and educational programming.” Money from the fund will go toward several initiatives championed by Bay. A Chamber Orchestra series will provide broader access to players and audiences in Central Texas by, in part, playing in nontraditional venues like nightclubs. A Young Instrumentalist Competition open to all young Central Texas musicians will feature soloists under age 18 playing on the Long Center stage, and aims to equalize the presentation time such competitions typically grant to non-pianists. Funding will also be allocated to recording orchestral works. A “paddle raiser” (an auction-style fundraising event where guests raise their numbers to contribute donations) raised over $200,000 for the fund and for the 2022-23 season.

As the evening wound to an end, Bay’s warm, quiet zeal remained ever-present. His energy was contagious, a joy that affected even the air around him and lingered in the room long after he’d left. Austin may not have been Bay’s first place of residence, but it is, as he says, his first home. He’s proven that dedication with 25 years of exceptional leadership at a landmark institution, and the city (smartly) has embraced him right back.

Congratulations on 25 years, Peter Bay, and here’s to 25 more.