GREAT FALLS — Daniel Black, a Montreal-based conductor, will take the podium Saturday night at the Mansfield Theater as the sixth and final candidate auditioning for the permanent conductor position with the Great Falls Symphony.
Black grew up in southern California. While his parents were not musicians, they loved music — a passion they passed on to their son. From classics like Beethoven and Tchaikovsky to film scores, Black developed a deep connection to orchestral sound from an early age.
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"I also listen to film scores, you know, like John Williams, the great Star Wars soundtracks and that kind of stuff. So really from a very early age, I had the sound of the orchestra in my ear and fell in love with that," Black said.
Black began playing the flute in middle school, which led to performing, composing and eventually conducting.
"I was a resident conductor with the Florida Orchestra in Tampa Bay and assistant conductor with the Fort Worth Symphony. I've studied in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Northwestern University, Eastman School of Music," Black said.
He describes music as a deeply human form of communication and expression.
"I think that with the orchestra, we are trying to have a conversation through music with our audience and with each other as well. And that's one of the things I love about orchestra. It's this big team on stage, you know, it's, I think the most intricate and the most exact form of teamwork you'll ever find," Black said.
Black recognizes the conductor role extends beyond the podium and into the community — something that drew him to the position in Great Falls.
"There's a youth orchestra, there's a symphonic chorus, there's a string quartet, besides the professional orchestra. So it's an organization that really impressed me with the range of what they're doing. And with the commitment of what they're doing," Black said.
On Saturday night, Black will lead the symphony in a program called "Renewal."
"Renewal is a program that I wanted to take the audience and the orchestra through a kind of spiritual, emotional journey from beginning to end of the program," Black said.
The program includes a contemporary piece by Canadian composer Jocelyn Morlock called "My Name is Amanda Todd."
"'My Name is Amanda Todd' is based on a famous case of internet bullying and cyber intimidation from the early 2010s. That gained huge coverage in Canada," Black said.
The night will also feature music from German composer Robert Schumann, Antonin Dvorak's Eighth Symphony, and a performance by guest oboist Dwight Parry.
Black will hold a pre-concert talk at 6:30 p.m. at the Mansfield Theatre, with the music beginning at 7:30 p.m.
