Mandle Cheung, CEO of the technology company ComputerTalk Technology and amateur conductor, paid nearly $400,000 to conduct the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for one night.
Cheung considers himself a fan of classical music since high school, when he played in a harmonica band.
“I had seen the magic of that guy standing in front of the orchestra with a baton. So I thought: ‘Why can’t I do that too?’,” said the ComputerTalk CEO in an interview.
“I can afford to do it; that’s the main point. So, when this idea came to mind, I thought: ‘Hey, maybe I should try’,” he continued.
Even though the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s management accepted the idea, some musicians were not very happy and said the group should not give up its podium to amateurs.
Cellist Lucia Ticho, president of the orchestra committee, stated that musicians should have been consulted in the decision to hire Cheung and in the choice of repertoire.
Mandle Cheung conducted Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, known as the “Resurrection,” considered one of the most difficult to conduct.
It was written for full orchestra, choir, and two vocal soloists, lasting about 90 minutes.
Cheung held more than 10 rehearsals before the performance and paid all the concert costs: about $337,000, plus the Roy Thomson Hall rental fee of $45,000, and soloists’ fees of about $15,000.
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