I have known Philip Wilder for years, writing about artists and events he represented as a vice president of the mighty 21C Media Group in New York. Unlike the often tenuous, fragile relationship between journalists and public relations people, with Wilder I was always able to get answers to questions instead of just another press release. The fact that this would often happen at night and weekends only made me appreciate him more.
And so when word came on Monday that Wilder has been named executive director of New Century Chamber Orchestra — succeeding Parker Monroe, whose tenure ran 18 years — I asked Wilder to tell me about the appointment, rather than going the "official release" rout. True to form, he complied promptly:
It's a thrill to be returning home to San Francisco. I began my career in music here 24 years ago at age 21, when I won a spot as a singer with Chanticleer. That appointment began a 13-year journey and education with that great ensemble, and my deep love for San Francisco.I found the Bay Area to be an amazing place to begin a life in the arts, and to see first hand how musician/entrepreneurs can create a lasting legacy and a home for the next generation. Organizations like the New Century Chamber Orchestra, Chanticleer, Philharmonia Baroque, and the Kronos Quartet are just a few examples that reflect that Bay Area entrepreneurial spirit which has had a huge impact on the international music scene.
It was a great education to be accepted into such an important community of musicians and administrators, and that spirit of invention has been my guiding star ever since.
Coming back home to work with such an innovative and dynamic ensemble like New Century is dream come true. I have been a long-time fan of the orchestra, and have been following its steady rise in national and international stature under Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg's leadership. The orchestra has all of the elements that excite me about a musical ensemble. They're energetic, open, dedicated to creation of new work, and possessing the skill and virtuosity to achieve anything they aspire to achieve.
Going against the dubious San Francisco preference for importing talent from afar of supposedly greener grass, New Century seized the opportunity to recruit a true and tried homey.
Wilder had some big-name clients at 21C Media Group — including Yefim Bronfman, Susan Graham, Joyce DiDonato, Steven Stucky, and Jeremy Denk. He advised organizations, such as the Dallas Opera, the Grand Teton Music Festival, and the YouTube Symphony Orchestra. In the Bay Area, he was involved with Festival del Sole from the beginning, and helped local artists.
As a countertenor, he sang with Chanticleer in more than 1,000 concerts around the world, became artistic administrator, assistant music director and founding director of education. He launched the annual Chanticleer Youth Choral Festival for San Francisco Bay Area high school students.
Most recently, Wilder served as executive director of communications for the Eastman School of Music, and was founding artistic and executive director with Sing With Haiti, a not-for-profit organization supporting the Holy Trinity Music School in Port-au-Prince. He is a producer of new media content for Music Makes a City, a PBS documentary film and arts advocacy project.
In 17 concerts around the Bay Area in 2014-2015, beginning Sept. 11, New Century performs a wide range of repertoire spanning four centuries, including Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite, Mahler’s transcription of the Schubert String Quartet D. 810 “Death and the Maiden,” Brahms’ Sextet for Strings in Bb Major, Mozart’s Divertimento K. 136, and Arvo Pärt’s Fratres.
On July 26, a quartet of musicians from New Century will perform in Asian Art Museum galleries from 1 to 3 p.m. in conjuction with the museum's Gorgeous exhibit; the performance is free with museum admission.