One of his nephews, Ben Reineke from Kettering, is now following in his famous uncle’s footsteps — playing in the DPO’s Youth Orchestra and studying music at Miami.
When Reineke was a child and a teen attending Tippecanoe High School, he says Dayton was considered the “big city.” These days it’s New York City where he lives and works as the music director and conductor of the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall.
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Reineke returns to his home territory on Friday, Jan. 26, and Saturday, Jan. 27, for the third concert in the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s Super Pops season. Entitled “Sophisticated Ladies,” the program — created by Reineke — pays tribute to the Harlem Renaissance singers—Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and Billie Holiday.
Reineke is now considered one of North America’s leading conductors of popular music. In addition to his work with the New York Pops, he is principal pops conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., and principal pops conductor of the Houston and Toronto Symphonies. He previously held the posts of principal pops conductor of the Long Beach and Modesto symphonies and was associate conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra under Erich Kunzel, dubbed the “Prince of Pop” by the Chicago Tribune.
We chatted with Reineke about his childhood, his love of pop music and the upcoming DPO concert.
Q. So where did this love of music originate?
A. My father was a banker in Tipp City and in his spare time, he would play folk guitar and sing — John Denver; Harry Chapin; Peter, Paul and Mary. He would sit on the edge of my bed and sing me to sleep just about every night until I was 10 or 11 years old. That's where my first love of music came from.
Then I had a series of wonderful teachers that nurtured the talent they saw in me. First, they handed me a saxophone and I tried that. It was awful, I couldn’t make it do anything, I drove my family crazy. Then they handed me a trumpet and I took to it immediately. I did a double major in both music composition and trumpet performance at Miami.
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Q. What is it about music that you love?
A. Music is a wonderful bit of magic. We can't imagine our lives without it. It's everywhere in our lives, it crosses all borders, all languages and speaks to people in ways no other language can. It touches our soul. I write music myself so I know how it works. But I don't understand why it works. It excites molecules in our bodies; it can be visceral as well as emotional.
Q. Why pop music?
A. I was classically trained and worked with orchestras but I've always loved all kinds of music. I like the side of music that can be fun and entertain audiences. Sometimes I want to push boundaries a bit and make audiences think, but a lot of times I just want us to have fun and enjoy it and make it a memorable concert experience.
Even at Carnegie Hall, I like to make people feel like we’re all in this together. I like to break down the barriers between the seats out there in the audience and the stage. I like to imagine that people in the audience are sitting around the piano in my living room. I like to keep it lighthearted.
Q. I don’t imagine they teach you how to interact and chat with an audience at music school?
A. I got a wonderful education at Miami University, but education doesn't stop when you leave college. Life is your education. I went to Los Angles after college and then got hired by Erich Kunzel at the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. I was his right-hand man and assistant for 13 years. He was a master at his trade and gave me the best education I could ever get.
Many people inspired me in those early days; Erich was the greatest of all. He was great talking to an audience and I learned through experience. It’s not everybody’s cup of tea but it’s good if you can do that.
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Q. Tell us about the concert you’ll be doing in Dayton.
A. The last time I was at the Schuster Center I brought a program I created called the "Cocktail Hour" that's music of the Mad Men era — hits from the '50s and '60s. It was loads of fun. I hadn't been in the Schuster Center before and the orchestra was fantastic.
“Sophisticated Ladies” was a program I put together in 2015. When I originally built it, I debuted it at Carnegie Hall and used it as a tribute for a Billie Holiday centennial.
Then in 2017, there was an Ella Fitzgerald centennial. She was my favorite singer of all time and her music is what I listen to in my free time. So I’m celebrating some of greatest African American female singers of the Harlem Renaissance in this concert. All of this is timeless music.
It’s music of the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s. It was the pop music of the day — swing, jazz, big bands. There was a boon in African- American music and art happening in clubs like the Cotton Club and Savoy Ballroom.
These are songs people will be familiar with, there’s a lot of George Gershwin. There are songs like “Strike Up the Band,” “Take the A Train,” “Stormy Weather,” “The Lady is a Tramp,” “Come Rain or Come Shine and “Mack the Knife.” All songs from the Great American Songbook.
It’s great music performed by a fantastic orchestra, three world-class vocalists. I hope everyone will enjoy it.
Q. Who will be performing with you?
A. I wanted three ladies that were all top notch but all very different. All of them have worked on Broadway. Capathia Jenkins most recently starred as Medda in the Disney production of "Newsies" on Broadway." She can bring the house down.
N’Kenge is trained in opera but capable of singing all styles of music and has an incredible vocal range. She’s well-known for “Motown: The Musical.”
Montigo Glover is a very popular Broadway artist with a Tony nomination for creating the lead role in “Memphis.” She made her Broadway debut in “The Color Purple.”
Q. What can parents do to foster musical interest in their children?
A. I worry about that going forward. The arts are often the first thing to get cut in a school system, and that's such a shame. Music needs to be fostered and not thrown away. It's so important. I'd tell parents to take advantage of every resource. If parents see a child with a real interest in music and a bit of talent, don't tell them not to pursue those dreams. Allow them to explore and experiment even if they don't make it a lifelong career. It can be a hobby.
I hear horror stories of parents saying “you can’t do it because you’ll never make money.” My parents drove me to everything I wanted to do, including to the Dayton Youth Symphony. They didn’t tell me “no” and they didn’t tell me I’d better get a “real” degree so I could support myself. They were always encouraging.
I feel so lucky that I get to wake up and do this every day. I wish everybody on the planet could do something they absolutely love and are passionate about.
HOW TO GO:
What: "Sophisticated Ladies," the third concert in the Kettering Health Network's 2017–2018 SuperPops Season. With guest conductor Steven Reineke, music director and conductor of the New York Pops.
When: 8 p.m. Friday, January 26 and Saturday, January 27.
Where: Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton
Tickets: From $29 to $79 and are available at Ticket Center Stage (937) 228-3630 or online at www.daytonperformingarts.org. Senior, teacher and student discounts are available at the box office.
For more information or to order subscriptions, including flexible subscription types that include performances by Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Opera and Dayton Ballet, visit www.daytonperformingarts.org.
ROOTED IN OHIO
In this periodic series, arts writer Meredith Moss profiles individuals who have connections to the Miami Valley and our region. If you have someone you would like to suggest for the series, contact Meredith: MMoss@coxohio.com
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