Making Waves

>>Michael Hall’s passion for music transcends all ages and economic levels, and he plans to prove it as full-time music director of Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. The 38-year-old’s résumé includes conducting the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Bozeman Symphony Orchestra in Montana, Orange County’s Pacific Symphony and guest appearances across North America.

This month, he begins his second season conducting the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers. To gear up, Hall is getting out into the community, meeting audience members and patrons to get them excited about the symphony’s season.

"Great arts nourish the soul," he says. "It’s something that rounds out your life. It’s not just about enjoying it. I want the concerts to be an experience for the audience. We work very hard to show the music and the art form is relevant to [the audience’s] lives."

One way to do that is to create intimate settings with the Chamber Orchestra Series, a traveling 25- to 35-piece orchestra. "We bring the music to the people," he says.

That outreach includes the children. Hall is spearheading the symphony’s youth orchestra this season, and he wants to expand the orchestra’s Ensembles in the Schools program, in which members perform and discuss the life of musician.

"It’s to get young kids as well as older people to realize this music is for them," Hall says. "There’s a stereotype of what a concertgoer is. I’m trying to break that. It’s an exciting time to be in charge of an orchestra that already has a high level and dedicated musicians.

"I’m trying to make it known to as many people as possible, trying different partnerships with different organizations in the community. I don’t think we do enough right now to serve [children], but we will," he says. "We’re trying to think outside the box, find ways to touch kids and influence them."