State’s oldest orchestra thrives under new conductor


By Andy Soth | October 3, 2024

FacebookTwitterEmail

The honorific Maestro typically given to an orchestra conductor conjures up images of a stern taskmaster or demanding perfectionist. But in Spanish, the word translates as “teacher.”

To watch Paraguayan-born conductor Ernesto Estigarribia Mussi take to the podium and wield the baton you see he fits more into the teacher role.

Mussi sets high standards for members of the group he leads, the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra, but he communicates them with grace and good humor.

“I think we’re playing better now than we’ve ever played before in my experience” says clarinetist Joe Milicia. And his experience is vast since he first joined the orchestra in the 1980s. He also wrote the official history of the Symphony that lays claim to being the oldest continually-operating orchestra in the state.

Mussi’s experience is much more recent, beginning when he took the reins for the 2022-23 season, bringing new energy and enthusiasm to the Symphony. In addition to his conducting, Ernesto is music director, responsible for what he calls the “sonic identity” of the orchestra.

In his role as chief interpreter of the music, Mussi is like the film director starting with a script. It takes work and direction for the transformation from page to performance. He sees this role as making countless decisions that aren’t explicit in the score: “How loud is loud. How short is short.”

And, as in a film, the effort is centered on creating an experience for the audience. “I start to work backward from the audience perspective,” Mussi says. “How am I going to touch the audience?”

“You have to make music in a way that will touch peoples’ souls.”

Andy Soth

Andy Soth is a reporter for the “Wisconsin Life” project who grew up in a neighboring state but now loves Wisconsin because it’s like Minnesota without the smugness.  He joined PBS Wisconsin in 1991 and has spent time at work in the operations, digital, production services, history, news, and local...
FacebookTwitterEmail
2024-10-03T15:03:32-05:00Tags: , , , |

Sign Up Form

Sign Up for Our Bi-Weekly Newsletter

Get your favorite Wisconsin Life stories, meet the crew, and go behind the scenes.

Our Favorite Collections

“Wisconsin Life’s” featured collection for February 2024 features stories that show how love always finds a way.
Ice, cold and winter are an integral part of what it means to live in Wisconsin. This collection explores the many ways that winter defines us.
Food plays a central part in any culture. This series honors the foods and food systems meals that make our state unique.
“Wisconsin Life’s” featured collection for January 2024 showcases Wisconsinites making the most of harsh winter conditions.