Candidate's A Theatrical Cutup, Popular Cutout

No one knows exactly when. No one knows exactly why. The only hard fact known about the mysterious disappearance of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra's candidate for principal pops conductor, Robert Moody, is that a replacement is needed quickly. The kidnapping occurred around Jan. 6, after the Elvis pops concert.

A few days later, the marketing department received an anonymous note:

"We have Robert. Be very afraid."

In the photo, Robert Moody is pictured bound and gagged. No demands were made. He hasn't been seen since.

"I'm going to decide to take it as a compliment," said the real Robert Moody from North Carolina, where he is the new music director of the Winston-Salem Symphony. "I was surprised to learn that I had been kidnapped and hope (the Memphis Symphony) is working hard for my ransom."

None of the musicians have yet admitted to stealing the life-sized cardboard cutout of the maestro that was used for marketing purposes.

Moody, 39, is one of three candidates vying for the vacant pops conductor position this season, along with Matt Catingub and Michael Krajewski.

The latter two cutouts remain unharmed.

Players have floated some possible motives for the theft of Moody's cutout, valued at $200 (making this a Class A misdemeanor under Tennessee law.)

It's been noted that his image is the most aesthetically pleasing -- or , in the words of one female player who wished to be unnamed, "He's hot."

The second and more conspiracy-theory type motive is that Moody is, so far, the musicians' favorite.
His rapport with both the players and the audience was lauded earlier this season after a concert of John Williams movie music.

With no qualms about using theatrics, Moody finished the "Superman" theme song by turning to the audience and opening his shirt to reveal that he, himself, was the Man of Steel.

Saturday night, Moody (the man, not the cutout) returns to the Cannon Center for a pops concert called "Dance Dance Dance," featuring choreography by Fred Strickler and a wide range of music. Among the tunes are: Copland's "Hoe Down," Gould's "Tap Dance Concerto" and music from "A Chorus Line."
We talked to Moody this week about his job candidacy.

Q: What do you bring to the table that the other two principal pops candidates don't?

A: I'm different than my colleagues in that, of the other two, one is very much a pops conductor with an incredible reputation, Michael Krajewski. The other (Catingub) comes from sort of the Hollywood Bowl jazz scene. My career is kind of a mix of conducting classical music -- typical masterworks -- and over the years I've really enjoyed programming concerts that reach a wider part of the community. I like figuring out the best way to combine jazz and blues and Broadway.

Q: Your John Williams concert was well-received. Did you come up with the program?

A: I did, yes. You know, with John Williams, you could do four or five different concerts and never play the same music twice. There's so much great stuff out there.

Q: You have an affinity for the theatrical stuff.

A: Ah, yes. We had a Jedi fight. Darth Vader came out... In the 21st century, we're trying to get the word out to people who haven't come to a live orchestral concert that it's probably not what they think it's going to be; not some Victorian, staid experience where you have to sit quietly and you don't know when to clap. We're really looking to get rid of that idea.
If you're doing music from "Star Wars," you need some Jedi and Storm Troopers involved. With John Williams, we showed images from his music while we played the music.

Q: What about "Dance! Dance! Dance!"

A: Well, the company we're using, Neos Dance Company, is coming down from Cleveland. But I knew the leaders when I was resident conductor of the Phoenix Symphony.
One year we were doing a New Year's Eve gala, and I thought: "Let's salute the roaring '20s and '30s, the whole Charleston era and some big band music, Fred Astair.
I was talking to a ballet dancer friend of mind with the Phoenix Ballet, and I asked, "Do you ever do any of that kind of dancing?" and he said, "Yeah, sure." I asked if he could put together a group for me to show various styles of dance. And he did and it worked out incredibly well. I started using him ever since. This concert includes some Latin dance and some Charleston and all different styles of dance.

Q: Do you foresee future programs with Memphis music?

A: I've known of the Memphis music scene by reputation. On my last trip there, I had a chance to see Stax, Sun, Beale Street. My Lord, the city is really ripe with possibility. There is a wonderful way to bring Beale Street into the concert hall.

Q: What interests you most about Memphis music?

A: Memphis stands out from other cities as having a strong personality. It has this great mixing of, you know, I guess Elvis becomes the epitome of what I'm going to say. This mixing of old black gospel and old white country became this new blues rock, and I think the thing to do is capitalize on that and enjoy marrying that music.

Q: You're originally from Greenville, S.C. Does being from the South help a pops conductor?

A: You know, I speak the language of y'all and ribs already. I left the South when I graduated from Furman University in 1989 and haven't been back to the South until this past year. I don't know what I was expecting when I moved back. It's a friendly and open atmosphere. The word that came to mind for me was "homecoming."

Q: What's the best thing about playing with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.

A: We had great, great chemistry. Sometimes you have less good experiences with orchestras. But there are so many great players in the orchestra.

I also didn't realize until I got there that the Cannon Center is one of the finest concert halls that I've been in. You know the new Nashville hall has got a lot of attention, but, my Lord, the Cannon is unbelievable. -- www.memphissymphony.org