From [log in to unmask] IN THE NEWS 4/22-part one Edited by Melinda Whiting NEWS/FEATURES Sunday (4/21) in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sarah Bryan Miller writes that Hans Vonk's departure from the St. Louis Symphony for health reasons "both opens and closes doors, and throws new opportunities - and new threats - at an orchestra that has had more than its share of both in recent months . . . No wonder SLSO president Randy Adams and general manager Carla Johnson . . . seemed surprisingly calm despite this latest development on Tuesday afternoon: having faced a threatened bankruptcy, they've already toured hell in the past year." Miller covers the fine points of a music director search, quoting American Symphony Orchestra League vice president Jack McAuliffe ("Every [search] process is different . . . The commonality is that you can't go terribly public"),Chicago Symphony president Henry Fogel ("You don't want to make X mad at you if you want two weeks from him each year."), and several orchestra managers who have recently concluded searches. Also in Sunday's (4/21) St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sarah Bryan Miller considers possible candidates for the St. Louis Symphony position: "It may seem awkward to begin speculating about music director Hans Vonk's successor so soon, given the circumstances of his departure, but practically speaking, the Symphony needs to get someone on board as quickly as possible." She notes, "For many orchestra watchers here and elsewhere, the name of David Robertson sits at the top of the list. Robertson, 43, is a tremendous talent: musical, charismatic, at home with contemporary composers . . . and with the classical standards." Miller speculates on other possible contenders: James Conlon ("a long shot" with "charisma, experience on both sides of the Atlantic, energy, and a great reputation"), Alan Gilbert (who "made a tremendous impression here a couple of seasons ago"), Kent Nagano, JoAnn Falletta, and Sakari Oramo. In Saturday's (4/20) Montreal Gazette, Arthur Kaptainis comments, "Now that Charles Dutoit is well and truly gone as music director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, who is next? It is a question worth answering quickly, as longtime MSO subscribers (or at least those who have not already tossed their brochure in disgust) mull over the pros and cons of investing in what was to have been the Swiss conductor's glorious 25th-anniversary season." Kaptainis offers suggestions on a possible successor, including Yakov Kreizberg, Ivan Fischer, Charles Mackerras, Kent Nagano, Roberto Abbado, JoAnn Falletta, Vladimir Ashkenazy, James DePreist, and Mark Wigglesworth. Also in Saturday's (4/20) Montreal Gazette, Arthur Kaptainis writes: "Cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich yesterday sent his best wishes to departed Montreal Symphony Orchestra music director Charles Dutoit -- and announced his decision to boycott the orchestra next season." In a personal letter to Dutoit, he wrote: "Because you invited me to celebrate your 25th anniversary as music director in Montreal, I now understand that= I have no more reason to celebrate. That's why this morning, I let them know I'm not coming there next season." Kaptainis reports that MSO communications director Marie-Josee Desrochers "said the only contact between Rostropovich and the MSO of which she was aware was a message left by his manager." She said no artist has canceled as a result of the Dutoit affair: "We have been in touch with some agencies, and people have confirmed they will come." Desrocher also told Kaptainis that the MSO's two Carnegie Hall concerts next season "are not canceled." Scott Morrison