Rohan Smith points to a section of the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra while rehearsing concert pieces on May 8. Smith celebrates his 20th year with the orchestra this year. Kristian Moravec / The Times Record

With sweat on his brow, longtime conductor Rohan Smith waved his arms dramatically to the tune of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 at a Midcoast Symphony Orchestra rehearsal earlier this month.

Armed with a baton, he jumps — almost dancing — to the popular classical piece, occasionally calling out, “Sing out!” and “Good!” and the frequent “ba! ba! ba! ba!” in sync to any rhythmic section of the piece. The orchestra follows Smith’s guidance with ease.

The Australian-born conductor and longtime violinist started at Midcoast Symphony Orchestra 20 years ago after hearing about an opening at a conductor’s retreat. Though he initially did not know what the conducting position would involve, he grew excited about the opportunity once he met the orchestra.

“I’ll never forget how cold it was,” Smith said, reflecting on his audition for the role. He described having a “good feeling” while working with the group and soon landed a permanent position at the orchestra.

Though the placement seems serendipitous, Smith said his music studies have always drawn him toward the role he now holds. At the age of 10, he attended his first symphony in Australia and became obsessed with conducting. Though his studies initially focused on the violin — which placed him in high-profile orchestral ensembles such as the Opera Australia Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra — it wasn’t until he was exposed to famous American conductor Leonard Bernstein in the 1980s that he felt driven to pursue conducting as a career.

“I saw the inspiration that he injected into concerts with the orchestras he conducted, and I just thought that was the most greatest thing on Earth, and I was always fascinated by it,” Smith said. “So, eventually, I just had this idea, ‘I think I have to study conducting.'”

Advertisement

Rohan Smith works with cellists during a Midcoast Symphony Orchestra rehearsal on May 8. Kristian Moravec / The Times Record

With mentors and influences including international conductor Ádám Fischer and Benjamin Zander, founder and longtime conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Smith said he strives to find a balance between physical expression — like hopping and the expressive baton movements on the conductor’s stand — and the use of metaphoric descriptions to guide orchestras. His friendly demeanor also helps build a close relationship with the musicians.

The result is an ensemble that can tackle a wide breadth of musical styles. Though the orchestra plays plenty of classical hits by influential composers such as Beethoven and Stravinsky, it also includes performances from living and underrepresented composers, Smith said.

In its upcoming May performance, the orchestra will perform “Cityscape, Seascape, Soundscape,” a program that features Aaron Copland’s “Quiet City,” Claude DeBussy’s “La Mer” and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.

The three pieces could not be more different, Smith said, but it illustrates the range of styles the orchestra can tackle. The early 1900s “La Mer” sets the scene of ocean waves and wind on the sea, while “Quiet City,” a WWII-era composition, brings listeners to a desolate but intimate feeling of a quiet night in a bustling city. Then Beethoven thrusts the audience back into the 1800s.

For Smith, leading musicians through a variety of styles demands a near-scientific understanding of how each part in the piece works.

“You have to have studied the music — you have to know the score, which is a very complex thing,” he said. “If you don’t know that, you have no right getting up on the podium.”

Smith and the rest of the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra will perform Saturday, May 18, at the Franco Center in Lewiston and on Sunday, May 19, at the Orion Performing Arts Center in Topsham.

Tickets can be reserved at midcoastsymphony.org/tickets.

Comments are no longer available on this story