Alexandria Symphony Maestro Kim Allen Kluge's Contract Will Conclude in June 2016

Maestro Kim Allen Kluge photo courtey of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra

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The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO) announced Tuesday morning that Maestro Kim Allen Kluge, who has served as ASO Music Director for the past 27 years, has informed the Board of Trustees that he will not be renewing his contract with the ASO after it expires as scheduled on June 30, 2016.

Kluge said he will be pursuing additional conducting and composing opportunities on the national and international music scene, according to a news release from the ASO.

In honor of his many years of leadership and service, Kluge will become the organization’s first Maestro Emeritus. Here’s more about how he shaped the ASO during his tenure:

When Kluge started with the ASO, it was an avocational orchestra; he quickly transformed it into a fully professional ensemble, known for its outstanding musicianship, visceral and poetic music-making and innovative programming.

Kluge has been a passionate advocate for music education in Alexandria, making it an essential part of the ASO’s program, according to the ASO. Kluge’s dynamic presentational style at concerts is key to the education of his audiences. Most recently, under his music directorship, the ASO developed the first El Sistema-inspired program in the Washington, D.C. region, ASO Sympatico, which has been honored with a 2015 Yale Distinguished Music Education Partnership Award.

Kluge has been a leader of the inter-arts movement in Washington, D.C. and has forged relationships between the ASO and the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian, the Washington Opera, the Washington Ballet, The Shakespeare Theatre and many other leading performing arts institutions in the nation’s capital, the ASO points out.

Kluge is scheduled to conduct the remaining ASO concerts for the 2015-2016 Season: Symphony & Cinema. The national capital region will have the opportunity to hear the world premiere of the American Concerto for Piano & Orchestra, composed by Kim and his wife, Kathryn Kluge, at the ASO’s season finale on Saturday, May 7, 2016.

Following the conclusion of his tenure with the ASO, Kluge will be conducting nationally and internationally, and will bring his passion for education, orchestra building and innovative programming to his endeavors, the ASO said. He will continue his work as a composer, writing music for film, concert hall and performing artists.

Kluge stated, “I will work closely with the ASO to ensure a seamless transition to my successor. The Alexandria Symphony is my first baby and I have been devoted to its growth and prosperity. I am proud of the reputation and foundation we have built for the future, even in a time of so much uncertainty for orchestras. I feel a deep sense of gratitude for the tens of thousands of shoulders that I stand on and will continue to honor them with loyalty and devotion.”

The ASO will establish a committee to undertake an international search for the next ASO Music Director and Conductor. The ASO looks forward to celebrating its 75th Anniversary in its 2018-2019 Season and seeks a Music Director who passionately supports the ASO’s mission to provide quality, affordable and accessible music to the Washington metropolitan region and to broaden its educational and community outreach, the organization said. The committee seeks the right individual who will present compelling performances with inspirational programming, spark chemistry with the audience and catalyze the diverse cultures and musical tastes within our community.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, donors, and patrons of the ASO, I thank Maestro Kluge for his many years of service to the Alexandria Symphony,” said Ronal Butler, president of the ASO Board of Trustees.

“Maestro Kluge transformed an amateur orchestra into one of the shining jewels of the arts scene in our nation’s capital and established the ASO as a cultural resource to the community,” Butler said. “As we look to the future, we are excited to partner with our next Music Director who will share our artistic vision, honor our organization’s 72 years of musical history and expand our mission as we embark on our next chapter.”