Maestro Simeone Tartaglione, conductor of the CUA Symphony Orchestra, gave a presentation at a TEDx event at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Md., last month. Tartaglione was one of six speakers during the event, which was intended to showcase “ideas worth spreading” about technology, entertainment, and design.
During the April 6 talk, titled “The Art of Conducting: Bringing Life to the Symphony,” Tartaglione spoke about growing up in Sicily, Italy, and how he decided to pursue music as a career, instead of electrical engineering.
“It’s OK to change your path in life as long as you find your bliss, what makes you really alive,” Tartaglione said. “Life is short and you can be a wonderful masterpiece, so contribute to society with who you really are.”
Tartaglione also spoke about the conducting methods he uses to try to bring spark and energy into the music his orchestras perform. In his opinion, orchestras should use music to make people feel alive.
“The energy, the irresistible urge to say to people how much it is beautiful to be alive, that’s why music is in existence,” he said.