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1/27/2023 Not long ago, Columbus conductor Antoine Clark found himself extremely busy and a little worried. ​ The day after his guest conducting debut with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Clark drove home nonstop to Worthington to conduct a concert on which he was also performing as clarinet soloist. Around the same time, he was shepherding the McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra – which he founded in 2009 – into a new era as the Worthington Chamber Orchestra, while also preparing for his conducting debuts with the Wheeling and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestras. Link to article

Not long ago, Columbus conductor Antoine Clark found himself extremely busy and a little worried. ​The day after his guest conducting debut with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Clark drove home nonstop to Worthington to conduct a concert on which he was also performing as clarinet soloist. Around the same time, he was shepherding the McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra – which he founded in 2009 – into a new era as the Worthington Chamber Orchestra, while also preparing for his conducting debuts with the Wheeling and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestras.

Clark, a resident of Worthington, Ohio, will oversee a trio of works on the DPO Masterworks Series program. The evening will open with Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Forza del destino” Overture followed by Dimitri Shostakovich’s “Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor,” featuring internationally recognized Israeli violinist Vadim Gluzman, and Hector Berlioz’s “Symphonie fantastique.”

Antoine Clark, the founder, artistic director, and music director of MACCO and now of WCO, says the orchestra’s transition to independence will enable it to foster broader and deeper relationships in the Worthington community.

Since 2013, the Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center (MAC) has sponsored and been home to the McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra. After a successful nine years, the Orchestra is ready to stand without the aid of the MAC and will accordingly relaunch as the Worthington Chamber Orchestra on May 1.

Antoine T. Clark, the founding artistic and music director of the McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra (MACCO), now in its ninth season, is known for compelling musical interpretations, energy on the stage and dedication to fostering inspiration and development of the next generation of musicians.

Conductor Antoine Clark shared his excitement for the fusion of a show for both auditory and visual senses, commenting, “I am excited about these performances because I enjoy creating new and innovative experiences within classical music. As a conductor, I have combined music with poetry, dance, and sculpture. I am delighted that this Visualizer Orchestra program will feature well-known pieces in classical music and exciting works that the audience has never heard. The diverse program features compositions by women and people of color, which I believe is essential for hearing different perspectives.”

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra announced Antoine T. Clark as its 2022 MAC Music Innovator. An award-winning conductor known for his engaging stage presence and advocacy for arts education, Antoine is the assistant conductor of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra and the founding artistic and music director of the McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra.

The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra is welcoming a new assistant conductor, Antoine T. Clark. A native Virginian and resident of Worthington, Ohio, Clark’s first concert assignment will be the WSO’s Nov. 20 SoundBites concert to be held at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in downtown Wheeling.

The Richmond Symphony will be performing at the annual July 4th celebration in Henrico County. The performance will be at Meadow Farm Museum at Crump Park, with festivities beginning at 4:00 pm. The evening concludes with the symphony concert and a laser light show finale. Guest conductor Antoine Clark, who is a central Virginia native, talked with me about the program. I hope you enjoy our brief chat! Yours in good music,Mike GoldbergClassical Music Host, VPM Music