City Creatives: Anna Binneweg, director at WMPA, leads in 53rd season

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City Creatives: Anna Binneweg, director at WMPA,  leads in 53rd season
Anna Binneweg has been involved in orchestras for more than 30 years. (Photo/Arwen Clemans)
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By Audrey Keefe

As she held only her baton and the trust of the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Association, Anna Binneweg lifted her head high on the platform.

Her passion for music was felt like shockwaves throughout the theater when she invited the WMPA orchestra to play the first measure of Samuel Barber’s “Symphony No. 1 in One Movement.” At that moment, she knew that the performance would be memorable.

“When everybody’s at their best, the passion of the music ignites in that moment,” Binneweg said. “Then you know it’s going to be a great concert.”

As Binneweg’s second year as music director and conductor of the WMPA approaches, she recalled that performance in March at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial as her favorite program from her limited tenure.

The all-American concert celebrating the City of Alexandria’s 275th anniversary included “Symphony No. 1 in One Movement” and George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” which was celebrating its 100th anniversary.

“[Symphony No. 1] is just an incredible piece of music. The orchestra just performed it with such excellence and focus,” Binneweg said.

When the orchestra transitioned to “Rhapsody in Blue,” it was an unforgettable experience for Binneweg.

“The audience just erupted because it’s such an iconic American piece,” she said.

When the meaning of a piece is so significant, Binneweg said, it is easy to connect to as a conductor. The connection between an orchestra and its conductor is Binneweg’s favorite aspect of the music world.

“Starting with your connection with the orchestra members itself, and then getting to know the community and really bringing the community together through live performance,” she said. “That’s what helps ignite and sustain the passion.”

For more than 30 years, Binneweg has conjured up the magic of orchestral music on stages across the country, including the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and The Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall in Washington, D.C. She believes that conducting is about more than creating music: it’s about building human connections through the canon of orchestral music.

“It’s a kind of marriage between both of that human connection and of course keeping the spirit alive of these amazing living and past [composers],” Binneweg said.

The connection begins with the orchestra itself, she said. The synergy between the relationships built and the trust and openness between each musician satisfies Binneweg. Each individual is there for their joy and fulfillment, creating a focused foundation for human connection through music.

“I think when you create an environment that’s positive and exciting and you hold a high standard of excellence, everyone rises to it,” Binneweg said. “So for me, I think it’s just creating kind of an open environment and getting to know each individual as much as you can off the podium.”

On and off the stage, Binneweg is committed to furthering the education of musicians from all backgrounds. She is the music director and conductor of the Naptown Philharmonic Orchestra, which was renamed in May from the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra. Binneweg joined the Annapolis-based orchestra in 2007 and has grown with the organization, mastering her skills in conducting.

Binneweg is also an associate professor of music and the music director and conductor of the Symphony Orchestra at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, Maryland. Within these roles, she helps students find their sound and grow as musicians. Her passion for music education is reflected through her conducting style.

“You are an educator as a conductor,” Binneweg said. “From the podium, you’re relaying all of the components of that piece to make it come alive.”

Binneweg’s music education began in Northern California when she ventured into a music class in her Tahoe City high school and learned the beauty of orchestral music. It was when she pursued her undergraduate degree in music at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, a mentor saw her potential in conducting.

“I had a conducting teacher, one of the ensemble conductors that I was playing with. I took his series, and he kind of just recruited me,” Binneweg said. “I think I was fortunate that he saw something in me at an early age, so he was able to help shape my future.”

Binneweg later attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, for her master’s in conducting and music education. Upon graduation, she became the conductor of the Houston Youth Symph o n y. She later took her talents to Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music in Chicago to pursue her doctorate in orchestral conducting.

While at Northwestern, Binneweg gained experience as music director and conductor of OperaModa, a modern American Opera company. She also learned from conductor and violist Victor Yampolsky, who was Northwestern’s director of orchestras from 1984 to 2022. She said Yampolsky helped her develop her deep-rooted passion for both conducting and education.

Over the past decades as an established conductor, Binneweg has served on the conducting faculties at Loyola University in Chicago, the Sherwood Conservatory of Music in Chicago and American University in the District. Binneweg made her debut with the National Symphony Orchestra during the 2005 National Conducting Institute at the Kennedy Center.

Binneweg’s goal as a conductor is to relay the message of the composer in a unique and meaningful way by looking at the holistic story of the piece and narrowing down the interpretation she wants to present to the audience. As she delves into a piece’s historical context, Binneweg also keeps in mind stylistic accuracy and technique. The “big picture” idea informs Binneweg of the message the composer is trying to convey.

Anna Binneweg is kicking off her second year at the helm of the WMPA. (Photo/Arwen Clemans)

“It all stems from a place of thought and pedagogy, really, and then you convey that to the audience,” Binneweg said. “So you’re helping inform the audience and helping them grow and learn about the pieces as well.”

As she enters her second year with WMPA – and the association’s 53rd – Binneweg is committed to continuing the goals of conductor Ulysses James, who guided WMPA as director and conductor from 1984 to 2023.

“He really created a legacy,” Binneweg said. “That’s important, and I take that very seriously.”

In 1984, James took over and rebuilt the then-named Mount Vernon Orchestra and the Mount Vernon Youth Orchestra after conductor H. Stevens Brewer was tragically killed in a car accident. The organization became the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Association in 2004 and moved to Alexandria from Mount Vernon. Throughout nearly his 40-year tenure, James helped build membership, fundraising and free opportunities for community engagement.

Binneweg said these opportunities for community involvement and the inclusion of works from modern people of color and female conductors drew her to WMPA.

“It’s just fascinating to focus on all these new works,” she said.

The balanced and diverse representation was a necessity for Binneweg. Since she started last season, she said she is satisfied with the outreach from WMPA to the Alexandria community. The orchestra, which is diverse in terms of age, ability, race and background, invites people of all backgrounds to enjoy.

Concert-goers in the winter had the chance to get to know Binneweg during “AfterChats with Anna,” an informal question-and-answer session open to any ticket holder after select concerts.

“It’s been great getting to know our patrons and our donors and speaking to them after concerts,” Binneweg said. “It’s just everyone being excited by the power of the live musical experience.”

The handcrafted programs for this season will prioritize community collaboration and connection through music and amplify the organization’s goal to promote unity, Binneweg said. To continue James’ legacy, Binneweg said she prioritizes working with the entire team at WMPA and being sensitive to current events.

Binneweg said she is looking forward to this season with WMPA, believing the orchestra members and employees make it an exception-al organization.

“Everyone just loves to be there. They really believe in the organization,” Binneweg said.

WMPA’s 53rd concert season began on Oct. 6 with “Fantastical Explorations,” featuring Philip Glass’ Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra.

“What’s really both important and exciting about most modern orchestras today is that we’re constantly focusing on this fusion of both tradition and exploration,” Binneweg said. “So, keeping the music of the past alive and making sure it continues through each of the generations [is important].”

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