Zoltek celebrates 25 years with the Glacier Symphony and Chorale

Maestro John Zoltek has seen a lot of changes and fostered significant growth in the Glacier Symphony and Chorale in the last 25 years as its music director.

The Glacier Symphony will celebrate the conductor’s 25th anniversary by performing one of his original compositions during each of its MasterWorks concerts this season.

Zoltek, 63, grew up in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. After playing guitar in various rock and jazz groups during his high school years, he graduated from Boston’s Berklee College of Music in the late 1970s, a time when the college was known more as a conservatory for jazz music. Having a solid background in music theory, his interest in composing — first jazz — began in late high school and college. Though he wasn’t an academic-inclined student, he immersed himself in his studies at Berklee and graduated an intensive four-year program in two and a half years with honors.

“I went as a jazz guitar player and came out as a classical composer and conductor,” Zoltek said in a recent interview with the Daily Inter Lake. “My complete mind opened up when I left my hometown and started interacting with a lot of very esteemed people who inspired me. I wanted to emulate their knowledge and understanding of not only music, but perspective of world culture.”

While at Berklee, Zoltek had opportunities to study and work internationally, which he says helped build his confidence in what he believed he could accomplish in his artistic life.

Having taken classes in conducting and gained an understanding of symphonic literature, both composing and conducting orchestral music came naturally to Zoltek.

“It was kind of a surprise to me, but it felt organic,” Zoltek said. “For me, artistically and musically, the depth and richness of classical music and the intrinsic qualities of the artform were a logical extension of what I was seeking in rock and jazz music.

“When I first started studying orchestral scores it was like opening up a treasure chest and seeing all the jewels. The music gets me on the intuitive, emotional level and also the cerebral level.”

IN 1996 when Zoltek accepted the position as music director and conductor of the Glacier Symphony, he had been the conductor of the Renton Youth Symphony Orchestra in Seattle and also was working as a freelance conductor. Having studied guitar since age 7, he had also been playing free-form jazz and studying in Europe during the summers.

He never expected to spend 25 years in Montana.

“But I found a home here both creatively and within the context of the community,” Zoltek said. “Life’s been good to me here. It’s been very rewarding.”

Zoltek also talked about the demands of the job through the years.

“Living in a small community and trying to maintain and build a symphony orchestra has lots of challenges,” he said. “When I first came here there was a very small budget. There’s been years when I’ve had lots of players, then years where I hardly have any violin players. That’s just part of the makeup of a small orchestra. All Montana orchestras are in the same situation.

“On the other hand, there’s been a lot of support from the community,” he noted. “People are proud of having a symphony orchestra in our valley. In fact, Montana as a state has a long legacy of symphonic music.”

Of the seven active symphonies in Montana, Glacier Symphony is the most prolific, performing year-round more concerts per season than any other orchestra in the state. Glacier Symphony is also the only orchestra to have a week-long classical music festival — Festival Amadeus — established 15 years ago with Zoltek as its founding artistic director.

Zoltek describes the symphony’s growth through the last 25 years as an organic evolution, an ebb and flow.

“It’s grown from being a grassroots, amateur situation into something a lot more demanding, not just for the symphony but for the chorale as well,” Zoltek said. “The Glacier Chorale also has grown substantially in its artistic capabilities under the present conductor Micah Hunter.”

Zoltek has challenged, motivated and coached the orchestra to excel.

“I wanted to build an orchestra, to play the great symphonic literature, to conduct Beethoven, Mahler, Brahms and Stravinsky. The musicians have to be very dedicated,” Zoltek stressed. “Even though they’re compensated, they’re volunteers. They’re not professional musicians — but they’re very good musicians. There’s a lot of rehearsals, we go year-round and the standards that we’ve set now have to be maintained. The musicians understand that. I’m very proud of all the musicians who have dedicated a lot of their lives to making Glacier Symphony a viable artistic entity in the valley.”

ZOLTEK HAS not only propelled the orchestra artistically in his tenure, but he’s also been deeply involved in helping the organization and administration evolve. At this point in his career he wants to reassess his role and realign his focus on orchestra building, programming, and his own creative work as a composer of full orchestra scores. His compositions have been performed in the U.S., Canada, Europe and South America.

He would also like to concentrate more on his jazz fusion roots.

“It’s so much fun and a good creative outlet for me. I’m an instrumental performer on guitar so that’s where I get my kicks, expressing myself improvisationally. For me it’s dynamic, cathartic music.”

Most recently, Zoltek wrote a cello concerto titled “Through Tamarack and Pine” for Robert deMaine, principal cellist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Zoltek describes the piece as a contemplation of the power and energy of nature.

“The beauty and power of nature that we have all around us here is expressed through the power and dynamism of symphonic music,” he said. “Many of the great composers were inspired by the beauty and force of nature.”

With Flathead Valley Community College’s new McClaren Performance Hall and College Center targeted for completion next spring, Zoltek is making plans to celebrate the symphony’s 40th season next fall in a venue designed specifically with symphonic acoustics in mind.

“Our move will be significant not only for us but for the whole valley,” Zoltek said. “It will be a vibrant center for performance culture, improving both the symphony’s and the audience’s experience. It’s going to open up so many possibilities.”

Zoltek is also exploring expanding the symphony’s summer signature events, Festival Amadeus and Symphony Night at Rebecca Farm.

“The symphony orchestra has become part of our cultural milieu over the past 40 years,” Zoltek said. “As the valley has grown, residents have come to expect a symphony and a symphonic hall. It’s a draw, a reflection of the wide range of quality of life this community offers. The high art of symphonic music opens yet another door to an engaging experience.”

Community editor Carol Marino may be reached at 406-758-4440 or community@dailyinterlake.com.

LEARN MORE

The Glacier Symphony kicks off its 39th season with music from the 19th to 21st centuries. The season’s initial MasterWorks concert with performances Oct. 30 and 31 is titled “Ascension.”

The opening 21st century composition celebrates the 25th anniversary of Maestro John Zoltek. The orchestra will perform his symphonic poem, “Processional,” one of many Zoltek pieces to be featured this season.

Russian-American violinist Yevgeny Kutik will join the Glacier Symphony Orchestra for a performance of a violin masterpiece by 20th century Russian composer Alexander Glazunov.

The 19th century offering on the program is Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in Major.

Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, in Kalispell at the Flathead High School Performance Hall.

Current Covid-19 guidelines will be observed.

Tickets and further information is available by calling the box office at 406-407-7000, or visiting the website https://glaciersymphony.org/. Students in grades K to 12 may call the box office and receive select complimentary seats.