Oregon Wine and ART Project: October 2010

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Glen Cortese announces his resignation as OMP’s Artistic Director

Glen Cortese announces his resignation as OMP’s Artistic Director, effective after the last concert of OMP’s 2010-2011 season in May, 2011.
OMP’s Artistic Director, Glen Cortese, has announced that he will resign at the end of the current 2010-2011 season. OMP’s concert with the American String Quartet on May 14, 2011 will be Mr. Cortese’s last conducting performance as Artistic Director with the group. However, Mr. Cortese has accepted an invitation to serve as Artistic Director Emeritus during OMP’s 2011-2012 season and will return to conduct one concert during that season. Mr. Cortese will continue working as Artistic Director of the Greeley Philharmonic in Colorado, the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, and the New York Chamber Sinfonia. He also plans to devote an increasing amount of his energy to composing and guest conducting. “My tenure with the Mozart Players has been rewarding and fulfilling,” states Mr. Cortese. “I will miss the Eugene community and my interaction with the players and our audiences.”
Mr. Cortese has served as OMP’s Artistic Director since the 2003-2004 season, leading the group to new levels of artistic excellence and consistently engaging programming. Mr. Cortese has continued to live in New York during his tenure with OMP, and has used his connections there to bring distinguished guest soloists to Eugene to perform with the orchestra. His original compositions have been a highlight of each season, giving OMP’s patrons the opportunity to enjoy contemporary works alongside Classical and Baroque era pieces for which the group is best known. OMP Executive Director Larry Wayte notes that “Glen Cortese has been a very energetic, consistent, and generous artistic leader of this orchestra for the past eight years, and I am very glad to have had the opportunity to learn from him.” OMP Board President Robert Canaga adds, “Glen has been a driving force behind OMP’s transition to a more outward-looking, inclusive, and community-oriented organization. His generosity, humility, and willingness to give back to our community will be greatly missed.”
The Oregon Mozart Players will conduct a search for a new Artistic Director beginning immediately. OMP plans to invite a series of guest conductors to Eugene over the next two years, with the goal of identifying the next Artistic Director by the end of the 2012-2013 season.

About the "One Bottle" Project

A number of years ago I was tasked with finding a way to raise money to help with operation costs fora local chamber orchestra. I have many friends in the wine business and know that they are continually ask for cases, half cases, bottles, tastings, etc, and that it gets old fast. They are all very giving and caring people but they can't give away all their wine to help other people.
With that in mind, I decided that if I were going to ask anyone for wine, I would do it in person and just ask for one bottle. I drove my Subaru Legacy Wagon all over the state, putting on 180,000 miles.
The first year I gathered over 150 and last year I ended up with 259 bottles of Oregon wines for our auction. This year I gathered less because I knew that too much wine would be a problem for a "mixed" auction. This year I plan to create an auction for just the wine, separate from any other event.I was given wines from every wine region we have. I drove from Cave Junction (Foris) to Milton Freewater (Zerba) and to Bend (Volcano) Bonanza (12 Ranch) and the coast(Flying Dutchman). I traveled all over the Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon on my quest, met hundreds of wonderful wine people, made new friends, and tasted the bounty of Oregon.
I look forward to this years journey in my brand new Subaru Legacy and the support of all who helped last year and the year before, and of my wonderful wife, who puts up with this crazy idea!