No glue needed

Muffitt happy to stay on Lansing Symphony podium for three more years

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It’s hard to hold a high note, but the Lansing Symphony isabout to try. With attendance spiking improbably upward and performance levelsat a widely recognized high, the organization announced last week that maestroTim Muffitt has signed a new three-year contract.

The deal will keep Muffitt’s shoes on the podium through the2012-2013 season, but no glue was needed. The maestro said the decision was a“no-brainer” for several reasons, some of them personal.

On a weekday afternoon, you might run into Muffittshepherding his kids — Vincent, 13, and Clara, 10 — into the East LansingLibrary, or spot them frolicking in a park or nature trail in the area.

“My children are thriving in the great schools here,” hesaid. “It’s a fabulous place to raise kids. They love it here. I’m happy to behere for their benefit, and I’m happy to be here as an artist.”

Muffitt spends about three-fourths of his time in EastLansing and about one week a month in Baton Rouge, La., where he is music directorof the Baton Rouge Symphony.

In a dark time for arts organizations, the Lansing Symphonyis floating in a weird bubble of success. Single ticket sales for the 2009-2010season, which ended last month, were up 31 percent from the last season, whilesubscription sales went up 3 percent, according to executive director CourtneyMillbrook. Since Muffitt started as music director in fall 2006, ticket saleshave gone up 50 percent.

“We’re bucking the national trend by huge degrees,” Muffittsaid. “We have seen remarkable response from the audience.”

Paid attendance at classical music events in the UnitedStates declined 8 percent between 2002 and 2007, according to a December 2009 reportreleased by the League of American Orchestras.

Muffitt deflected the credit. “This is clearly a communitythat values the arts and takes great pride in its hometown organizations, andthey show it.”

The maestro singled out Courtney Millbrook, now finishingher first season as the symphony’s general manager, as a major new asset andanother reason he decided to stay.

“I feel like with every passing day, we are coming more infocus as an organization,” Muffitt said.

Muffitt’s paean to the musicians was even more effusive.

“I love the musicians of the Lansing Symphony and lookforward to every minute we spend together,” he said.

For their part, the orchestra’s musicians voted last monthto extend their labor agreement with the symphony for another year.

After only four years as maestro, Muffitt has already beendrafted into service as the face of Lansing. In a promotional filmproduced last fall by the Lansing Economic Development Corporation, a series oflocal artists are asked whether there is art, ballet and drama in the capitolcity. They all show their stuff and answer, “Yes, in Lansing.” At the end ofthe film, a question appears on the screen: “But is there passion?” Muffittbrings down the hammer with a fierce scowl, as the symphony bangs out the finalchords to “Mars” from “The Planets.” The rest is silence.

Millbrook joked that after seeing the film, people aresurprised at how laid back Muffitt is.

“He knows how to make this music, this experience, down toearth and enjoyable, still with this amazing artistic quality,” Millbrook said.

Beginning in March, Muffitt is applying this skill to hislatest mania: Facebook. He’s embracing his new platform with the zeal of thelate convert.

“It’s forcing me to reach into the cobwebs of my brain andthink about things I haven’t considered since grad school,” he said.

Muffitt’s thoughtful posts connect a lot of musical dots,from Sting’s CD of Renaissance lute music to Verdi’s operas, New Orleans jazzand the call of the wood thrush.

“I’m having so much fun,” he said. “My target is to come upwith one little tidbit a day that will spur some curiosity.”

Before last Tuesday’s season closer, Muffitt invited theaudience to a lobby party marking the symphony’s 80th year and stuckaround to bask in the glow.

“Whether it’s speaking to school groups or the Rotary Clubor what have you, he’s engaged in the community,” Millbrook said. “He doesn’tgo off stage and duck out the back door.”

The lobby hang followed a thunderous standing ovation from afull house, freshly rocked by Beethoven’s Fifth. Millbrook said fans andmusicians came up to her all night to tell her how great things were going.

“It’s a great time,” Millbrook said. “It’s a thrill to havehim commit to another three years.”

Muffitt expects to be around longer than that. He hasalready planned out the next eight years of repertoire for the LansingSymphony.

“That’s how you need to think as a music director,” he said. “Inorder to put a truly balanced offering out there, you’ve got to take the bird’s-eyeview.”

For Muffitt, the symphony’s success ties in with a generalbuzz about culture in Lansing that includes downtown economic development,MSU’s new Broad Art Museum, burgeoning music festivals and more.

“Why shouldn’t it happen here?” he asked. “We have terrificschools, a spectacular natural environment and an educated and curiouspopulace. Those are three really strong ingredients for a thriving community.”

But one piece has yet to fall into place.

Before Muffitt leaves the scene, he’d like to see along-awaited downtown performing arts center built.

“The Wharton Center is a great place to do concerts, but Ido feel that our state capitol needs a concert hall downtown,” he said. “It’s areal investment in our future. Our job is to bring people into the state, toattract new businesses to Michigan, and quality of life issues are the thingsthat will do that.”

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