Glenn Quader was born in Washington, D.C., in a house full of musicians. Surrounded by notes and melodies, he “had this moment when I was 13. I knew I was going to be doing music, and that was it.”
He “always a feeling that leading the ensembles would be something I would enjoy doing,” so he earned an undergraduate degree in music performance at Florida Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in conducting at Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University.
He moved to Frederick about 3 and a half years ago, so he could be closer to work in D.C. and Virginia. It also helped that he “always liked [Frederick] a lot. It was attractive.”
We sat down with the Frederick Symphony Orchestra’s new conductor to talk about his latest “experimental, industrial project” involving “cutting edge” synthesizers and his growing love for the Symphony:
Who do you wish were still alive and composing?
“Shostakovich. He was one of the last great symphonic writers. He truly was.”
Who or what inspires you the most?
“Mick Jagger. I love what he’s doing with his career: Spanning 50 years, and to still stay relevant. Maybe it’s not inspiration. Maybe it’s more of a wow factor.”
What is it about music that you love?
“What I love about music is that through this intangible thing, you’re able to arouse any feeling or emotion out of anybody, and it’s just amazing that something we can’t see or put our fingers on has such power.”
When did you first get involved with music?
“I had it around me when I was a little kid. I grew up in a musical household. There were players around me a lot. I came in through the programs in the schools, through private lessons. I had a normal exposure to it when I actually really started playing.
My first instrument was violin, then I switched to the saxophone. During middle school, I picked up the electric bass, and got pretty hardcore into that.”
He also played the cello, but chose to commit to conducting in college.
Where was your first concert?
“In a cafeteria in elementary school, playing violin. I remember that I was wearing a sweater vest, and it was a holiday concert.”
Why did you ultimately choose conducting over playing a musical instrument?
“Of all the experiences I’ve had as a player, whether it’s in a classical setting or in a rock band, conducting still requires me to utilize every amount of training that I’ve got. For me, it’s more satisfying to have to use everything to make it happen, whereas playing I’m one piece of something.
In conducting, I’m really shaping the entire thing, and that requires my best skills. It’s more exciting than it is intimidating. It requires me to really dig deep. It requires me to be the total musician.”
How has music changed your life?
“What I do beats working. I’m not working. That’s how it changed my life. I don’t feel like I’m going to work — ever. It’s going to do my favorite thing every day, and I’m very grateful for it.”
To see Glenn and the rest of the Frederick Symphony Orchestra in action, purchase tickets to their next concert on May 6, 2017: