The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music education: Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras (WYSO) names Michelle Kaebisch, of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, as the successor to retiring conductor Tom Buchhauser.

By Jacob Stockinger

The Ear has received the following press release and news announcement:

“Michelle Kaebisch will step into the role of Philharmonia Orchestra Conductor, a position held for the past 30 years by longtime Madison music educator Tom Buchhauser (below), who is retiring at the end of this school year.

“Kaebisch (below, in a photo by Katrin Talbot) brings with her a wealth of experience in the music world, having served as Director of Education and Community Engagement at the Madison Symphony Orchestra (MSO) since 2006, and as a violinist in the MSO since 1993.

“She holds a BS degree in Instrumental Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and taught high school orchestra and beginning strings in the Stoughton Area School District from 1995 to 2006. She also received a nomination from the Walt Disney Company’s public service branch as DisneyHand Teacher of the Year in 2006, recognizing her creativity in the classroom.

“Kaebisch’s book, “HeartStrings: A Guide to Music Therapy-Informed Engagement for Symphony Orchestras,” published in January 2012, has been purchased by orchestras and healthcare facilities world-wide, including Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Arts & Medicine Institute at Cleveland Clinic.

“She has led presentations at the League of American Orchestras and Society for the Arts in Healthcare annual conferences, and will be the keynote speaker at the 2013 Association of Wisconsin Orchestras bi-annual conference. Kaebisch is co-chair of the League of American Orchestras’ Education and Community Engagement Committee and has been active with the Wisconsin School Music Association on the Middle and High School Honors Project staff.

“Kaebisch has served as a conductor for the UW-Madison Summer Music Clinic, the UW-Whitewater Strings Camp, and the Badger Conference Honors Orchestra.” (Below are photos of a packed MSO student concert (at top, by Greg Anderson) and WYSO’s Philharmonia Orchestra, at bottom by Cheng-Wei Wu).

“WYSO’s Executive Director Bridget Fraser said: “I am thrilled that Michelle has accepted the position. She is an exceptionally well-qualified conductor with a passion for music education.   I know she will make a tremendous difference in the artistic lives of the Philharmonia Orchestra’s young musicians.”

Kaebsisch has told The Ear that she will continue her post at the MSO as Director of Education and Community Engagement, but is taking a leave of absence from her duties as a violinist in the orchestra until she sees how MSO and WYSO schedules work out. (Below is a link explaning her “on-call” duties as an MSO ambassador to classrooms plus of photo of her plyaing for children.)

http://www.madisonsymphony.org/oncall

And at bottom is a YouTube video of the Philharmonia Orchestra in WYSO performing “Greensleeves” under outgoing conductor Tom Buchhauser: