After 10 years revitalizing the symphony, Edwin Outwater moves on
‘I think orchestras have existed in a vacuum for so long'
This Friday and Saturday will mark the end of Edwin Outwater's decade as conductor and music director at the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.
When Outwater arrived at the symphony there were "save the symphony" signs in the community, and plans to revitalize the orchestra.
"I think orchestras have existed in a vacuum for so long," he told Craig Norris, host of The Morning Edition on CBC Radio on Wednesday.
He said that musicians can inspire people with music, but not everyone has access to concert tickets.
Outwater brought music out of the venues by working with community members and other sectors to create outreach events and programs.
One of those events was the world's first orchestral hackathon called "Hack the Orchestra" in 2015, in collaboration with the local tech sector. The event focused on developing solutions for a better live-concert experience.
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Larry Larson, principal trumpet for the symphony said Outwater's legacy will be the connections he made with the tech community, universities and youth.
"He came in and had a whole new outlook on what orchestras should be in communities," said Larson.
Outwater said he will continue collaborative and interdisciplinary work after he leaves.
Next weekend he'll be at the Kennedy Center in Washington for a concert and presentation on the human brain and its connection with music.