Michael Morgan does little to settle the eternal debate of whether prodigies are made or born. He largely attributes his success as an orchestra conductor to the nurturing he got from public school teachers, his parents and iconic conductor Leonard Bernstein.
Yet, from his earliest years, there were parts of Morgan’s nature that make it seem as if he were innately suited to be a maestro.
“[Conducting] is a part of the personality of whomever is doing it,” says Morgan, who is guest conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s “Russian Stalwarts” concert March 28-30.
In theater and performing arts circles, Bernadette Peters is practically peerless – and at this stage of her career, the LGBT favorite has the right to pick and choose where she likes to perform. Luckily, she has chosen the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for an upcoming engagement.
Peters will be in town Feb. 18 as part of the second annual Symphony Gala, a performance/fundraiser for the symphony and its education and community engagement programs. The event was the right one at the right time, says Peters, just through with another Broadway run.
“I get offered these kinds of gigs a lot and I had not been to Atlanta for a while,” she Peters says. “This event benefits the whole creative process, which is important to me.”