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Peter Tesei takes over chairing the Greenwich Symphony from Mary Radcliffe

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By Anne W. Semmes

New Greenwich Symphony Orchestra President Peter Tesei and Mary Radcliffe kept their safe distances at the annual June meeting held at Radcliffe’s Riverside home. Contributed photo.

Leadership of the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra (GSO) – that gem in the crown of the town of Greenwich – has passed to former First Selectman Peter Tesei from Mary Radcliffe, who served the Symphony as President for 37 years. Tesei brings to the Symphony board 32 years of Greenwich government service.

“Mary is an inspiration to us all,” says Tesei, “and carrying forth her mission is an honor. The Greenwich Symphony is such a talented and positive group of individuals whose energy is devoted to bringing world class musical talent to the community at large. I cannot think of a better way to maintain my civic engagement.”

Tesei, as a longstanding member of the Greenwich Symphony Board of Trustees, was voted in at the Symphony’s June 11 annual meeting, held with social distancing and face masks at Radcliffe’s Riverside home.

Radcliffe is “delighted,” she says, that Tesei is succeeding her as president. “He is a good man and he has a good voice here in this community – the town knows him and respects him. I told him this is a full-time job. You have to deal with all kinds of questions, but I’m staying on the board because there are certain things that I can help with. What we have with the Greenwich Symphony is a professional organization that is cultural, artistic and educational, that excels in these areas in this community.”

Radcliffe, at age 92, is looking to Tesei, age 51, to bring in new subscribers to the Symphony concerts she says. Along with an “excellent orchestra making wonderful music,” she adds, “What is very, very important is we have the most magnificent concert hall there, in the Performing Arts Center in Greenwich High School. The seating is good and the acoustics are good.”

So, what might Tesei pursue to bring in those new subscribers? “The GSO has undertaken efforts to survey the community and assess our programming,” shares Tesei. “Through this Board and musician-led effort we plan to offer more diverse music compilations and unveil new programming to attract a broader segment of the community.”

Tesei credits Radcliffe’s impressive shepherding role over the years with the GSO. “She has developed a world class symphony and shown a genuine passion for classical music and deep commitment to the members of the orchestra. The caliber of the musicians and orchestra contribute greatly to Greenwich’s performing arts.”

Tesei looks upon chairing the GSO Board as “an exciting endeavor. There is an active search for a new music director/conductor as the legendary David Gilbert is retiring. Working with fellow volunteer board members and the musicians to choose a successor is an important part of the GSO’s future success. I am pleased to be able to lend my leadership experience to this important endeavor.”

Radcliffe points also to the supportive connection the GSO has with the town’s Board of Education, as with the Symphony’s Young People’s Concerts. “In Greenwich’s public schools, the music and art departments are excellent,” she notes, with “very good teachers.”

Tesei tells of knowing Radcliffe since the early 2000’s, and often tuning into concerts on WGCH radio before becoming a 

regular attendee of the GSO concerts with his wife and children. Though Radcliffe is steeped in degrees and years of studying music from her earliest years in her native Hungary, Tesei weighs in with his “modest attempts at playing an instrument; drum, guitar and piano.” On his bucket list he says is “to learn to play the piano or guitar.”

Tesei will likely profit in other music-infused ways from this volunteer opportunity from the sound of Radcliffe’s experience with the GSO. She would discover GSO’s unique “camaraderie and respect between musicians and conductor. They feel so strongly about each other.” She would develop a number of friendships with the musicians. “These are my friends. I respect them and love what they’re doing.”

“When I go to hear an orchestra,” Radcliffe shares, “ I focus for five minutes on that oboist and see what she does, how she communicates with the conductor, I look at how the individual musicians communicate with the conductor, how they respond when the conductor does a little something with his hand. This is all fascinating. I grew up with music. I had a training. With other people they just let it float by and they enjoy it that way.”

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