NSO's new season will be its last with longtime conductor Marc David

While Thursday's launch of the 2024-25 season was an exciting occasion for the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, the upcoming departure of longtime conductor Marc David also made it a bittersweet one.

The NSO's music director and principal conductoris preparing to leave at the end of this season, after 33 years with the ensemble.

With the orchestra at the height of its reputation, David told CBC News, it felt like the right time to make the move.

"Thelevel of playing is at its highest point of my 33 years withthe symphony.We're one of the best regional orchestras in the country," said David.

"I'm leaving an orchestra in excellent shape. And I'd rather leave like that than leave anorganization that's struggling."

David became principal conductor in 1992and music director 19 years later. His goodbye to the symphony createda vacancy with 102 applicants vying to fill it, said CEO Hugh Donnan.

The NSO board has narrowed the selection to four candidates:Dina Gilbert, Julian Pellicano, Simon Rivard and Andrei Feher. They will each have a chance to impress the board, orchestra and audience during main series concerts throughout the season.

"We want to make sure that the orchestra, who spends 25 or 30 hours for each concert working with themare going to be able to work with this person, thatthis person is going to be able to pull out of them the kind of music excellence that Marcwas able to, but also bringtheir new ideas," said Donnan.

"That's what Marcdid when he came here 30 years ago. Sowe're kind of just repeating that cycle now and we're excited to see where we go in the future."

For David, the future will continue to hold music as guest conductor,artistic director of the Canadian Music Competition as well as consultant working with orchestras.

"I want my 40 years of experience in thisfield toserve other organizations in the arts community," he said.

Watch the video above to learn about the NSO's upcoming season, and David's long-standing career with the orchestra.

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