Philharmonia of Greensboro Conductor Peter Perret will lead his final performance with the ensemble this weekend.
Prior to his post in 2012, Perret led the Winston-Salem Symphony for many years.
He describes the Philharmonia as a semi-professional orchestra with serious musicians, from conservatory students to seasoned retirees. Perret says his job has been to pass on the traditions he absorbed studying conducting with some of the world’s great masters.
When asked to recall a special moment from his time on the podium, Perret goes back to the pandemic and a performance of the Schubert Octet.
"Getting eight players together during COVID was a challenge, but it meant that we had lots of time to rehearse and lots of time to learn a piece," says Perret. "So, basically, when we came to the concert, I didn't conduct. I just stood there and kind of looked around at the people that were about to play. That was chamber music the way it was meant to be done."
This weekend, Perret will conduct a portion of Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony. Perret summarizes the 19th-century Russian composer’s greatest gift in one word: melody.
Fellow Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev rounds out the program.
When asked about what it’ll be like to step down from the podium one last time, Perret says he will miss a great deal.
"It's the camaraderie of doing something together, and not in competition," says Perret. "It's one of the few places where a lot of people get together to hear something which is not combative or sportive or competitive. It's a place where you're going to hear something that unifies people."
The Philharmonia of Greensboro performance is on June 6 in Dana Auditorium and will be accompanied by dancers from the Greensboro Ballet.