Emotion, energy make music come alive

Jan Pellant has breathed new life into the symphony’s performances. As the artistic director and conductor of the Coeur d’Alene Symphony since fall 2018, Pellant has a talent for creating energy on stage and in the crowd, said symphony board member Jen Brumley.

“He is a very engaging conductor,” she said. “He just brings a different element that we haven’t had before.”

Pellant said he would describe his style as emotional.

“I like a lot of dramatic moments on the stage,” he said. “I like to spread a lot of energy. I’m definitely not just standing there conducting. I’m dancing across the stage. I really can’t control myself.”

He said he believes creating energy is a necessary part of the performances.

“That’s why people come to the concert hall,” he said. “Otherwise they can just stay home and listen to recordings.”

Five conductor candidates were interviewed in early 2018. Each was asked to lead a rehearsal. Cello player and symphony board member John Bottelli headed the search committee and said Pellant impressed him right away because he was here for a month during the interview process.

“The other candidates just came for a rehearsal and were gone,” he said.

Pellant’s vision also impressed him and others, Bottellii said. “He talked about creating a new sound for the symphony,” he said.

Bottelli said he believes Pellant brings out the best in him and his fellow musicians.

“He has this kind sternness,” he said. “He’s very demanding.”

Pellant is a native of the Czech Republic and studied at the Prague Academy of the Performing Arts. He holds degrees from the Prague Conservatory and Carnegie Mellon University and has conducted numerous symphonies, including the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, the Prague Symphony Orchestra, the Pilsen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic. He’s also led orchestras in Japan and Thailand.

Pellant was working as music director of the Lexington (Kentucky) Chamber Orchestra when he applied for the job in Coeur d’Alene and said he’d never heard about the city until he saw the open position listed on a job web site dedicated to musicians. He immediately started doing research.

“I couldn’t even pronounce it, but then I started learning more and more,” he said.

During the interview process he would stay in Coeur d’Alene for four days each week and then fly home to Lexington for the weekend.

“I really spent a great deal of time here,” Pellant said. “I was meeting people. I wanted to learn about the community. I was very surprised how nice people are here, and I really mean that.”

Although the city may be small by comparison it has a larger feel, Pellant said.

“I could see people coming from all over the world,” he said. “It was a very international place. I felt very welcomed right away.”

Part of creating a unique sound for the symphony is focusing on things like making sure each symphony member is breathing in unison, Pellant said.

“You can tell if the orchestra is sounding like one body,” he said. “Artistically speaking I was talking about creating a unique sound for the symphony and I think that’s happening.”

The changes Pellant has been making have not gone unnoticed. “I would say some of our concerts last year were up,” said Brumley. “The word was getting out.”

Those larger audiences have prompted a change that will take effect next season. The symphony will move its performances from the Kroc Center to the Schuler Performing Arts Center on the North Idaho College campus, which can accommodate 1,200 people.

“Schuler Auditorium has good acoustics,” Pellant said. “The audiences are expanding. There needs to be more space for the larger audiences.”

Pellant said audiences can expect more improvement in the future. “I think it’s going very well,” he said. “The Coeur d’Alene Symphony is still looking forward. I can see an even bigger future for the symphony.”

This year’s season, the symphony’s 41st, is titled “Heaven and Earth.” The next concert, “A Festival Celebration” is at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 and 2 p.m. Dec. 7. Additional performances are scheduled in January, March and May. Tickets are available at Cdasymphony.org.