From the time he arrived as assistant conductor for the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Caleb Young earned praise and affection from audiences for his winning stage presence and some snazzy red sneakers. In those six years, Young moved from assistant to associate conductor and became a part of Fort Wayne, living and working in the growing downtown scene. But recently he has tackled some big international stages while maintaining his ties to Fort Wayne and its Philharmonic. Now serving as Guest Conductor for Engagement, Young straddles duties here while earning experience abroad.
“I live in Berlin now,” Young said. “I’m taking part in a mentorship program based mainly in Finland, and I’m working with Jukka-Pekka Saraste. I travel with him and assist him, and we talk about conducting as we travel different areas of Europe, mostly in London, Sweden, Finland, and Germany. We also travel to the U.S., recently to Detroit and Minnesota.”
Despite that busy schedule, he continues to be committed to his work with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. During his tenure as associate conductor, Young focused attention on engaging the community in the mission of the Philharmonic, something he enjoys doing to this day.
“I come back to Fort Wayne for concerts in the community, times we’re playing in northeast Indiana. When we play with Fort Wayne Ballet, I love to continue that work along with times we visit surrounding counties. I always prioritize that, and I think people are used to seeing me in those situations.”
He is also often at the podium for the orchestra’s performances with film. Although there have been a few exceptions – notably Rudy and Psycho – most of the films have featured the work of John Williams. Fortunately, Young has worked with Williams in recent years and has some insight into how to approach this weekend’s film, Jurassic Park at Foellinger Theatre this Saturday, September 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Caleb Young
“The music is so fantastic, and the orchestra really loves sinking their teeth into it and enjoy playing it. I had the advantage of working with John Williams, and I recently worked with him in Los Angeles and was able to ask him some questions about the music. There were a couple of specific things that I wanted to get to the bottom of, and being able to ask him about it was just icing on the cake.”
Young is excited about the return to Fort Wayne and about the venue for this film and Philharmonic performance.
“I’m really excited about being at the Foellinger Theatre which is a great new venue for us. This is our first film there, and I can’t think of a better venue for us. And it’s such a great film and has held up so well over the years. The score is so amazing, and with the orchestra playing that soundtrack really shines through. This score has the most percussion I have ever seen in my life. If you look at the percussion section, they’ll be having the time of their lives. I think the audience will just have fun and enjoy it.”
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