Each fall and spring for nearly a quarter century, L谩szl贸 Veres has led the Tucson Pops Orchestra in rousing renditions of iconic marches, Broadway tunes and American classics.
Fans of the Pops鈥 Music Under the Stars series at Reid Park come to see him as much as the orchestra.
鈥淗e makes the evening so much fun, especially with the stories he would tell and the background of the music. It was just a fun evening,鈥 said Pops fan Frances Bettinger, who was so enamored with the professional ensemble comprised of moonlighting Tucson Symphony Orchestra players that she served as the orchestra鈥檚 executive director.
But at 81, Veres is starting to wind down his career. This weekend he will audition the first of several guest conductors vying to replace him. The process could take as long as two years, said Veres and Bettinger, who is leading the search committee.
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鈥淚t鈥檚 daunting. He鈥檚 been doing it for so long,鈥 Bettinger said, ticking off the names of several conductors including Toru Tagawa, founder and conductor of the Tucson Repertory Orchestra, who have expressed interest in the job. 鈥淭hose are some big shoes to fill. It is very hard to replace someone like him.鈥
Linus Lerner, who leads the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra, will be a guest conductor at the Music Under the Stars performance on Sept. 9.
First up on the roster of potential replacements: Linus Lerner, the longtime conductor/music director of the volunteer Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra.
Lerner, who also conducts an orchestra in his native Brazil, will take the baton for the first half of the fall concert series opener on Sunday, Sept. 9. His program includes works by Mexican, American and Brazilian composers.
鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward to working with this wonderful group of musicians,鈥 said Lerner, who spends his summers guest conducting orchestras and operas around the globe. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a great thing for Tucson to have a pops orchestra.鈥
Other Tucson conductors expected to audition include Gregory Helseth, who will lead the Pops on Sept. 16.
L谩szl贸 Veres conducts the Arizona Symphonic Winds and Tucson Pops this weekend.
Veres, who said the Pops job pays 鈥渟omething called peanuts,鈥 began his Pops career in 1993 as the assistant to longtime conductor Bucky Steele. When Steele retired in 1997, Veres, a retired school teacher who spent a dozen years as principal clarinet for the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, took over.
He also leads the volunteer Arizona Symphonic Winds, which he formed in 1986. The group performs a fall and spring Music In the Park series at Udall Park鈥檚 L谩szl贸 Veres Amphitheater, 7290 E. Tanque Verde Road. Performances are at 7 p.m. Saturdays through Sept. 29.
Veres admitted the Pops audition process is long.
鈥淢y wife thinks I can go to 85, no problem,鈥 said Veres. 鈥淎s long as I stay healthy and sharp and I have the energy and love what I鈥檓 doing, I鈥檓 fine.鈥
The Tucson Pops Orchestra, under the baton of Conductor L谩szl贸 Veres, is heading to the radio for four Sunday concerts.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very slow process. I don鈥檛 think L谩szl贸 is going anywhere anytime soon,鈥 said Bettinger, who anticipates a couple more conductors will be added to the audition list through the process. 鈥淭o be honest, as long as he wants to be up on the stage, we want him up there. He鈥檚 incredible. But it鈥檚 not to say that we are not going to find somebody who is equally as good, I am hoping.鈥
L谩szl贸 Veres conducts the Arizona Symphonic Winds during a celebration unveiling the naming of the Udall Park Amphitheater in his honor Dec. 12, 2009 in Tucson, Ariz .
Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com or 573-4642. On Twitter @Starburch.
Cathalena E. Burch
Reporter
