Alan Jordan: Making Music in Vermont
by Kathy Archer
July 1, 2010, pgs 10-11

Music frames the lives of Charlotte resident Alan Jordan and his family. Jordan, through his job as executive director of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, helps bring wonderful music to communities all over Vermont, and as a musician himself, enjoys making music, too.

Jordan runs an ambitious program with a full-time staff of five employees, several part-time workers, and an invaluable cadre of 400 volunteers. Jordan says, “With a professional orchestra of 55 musicians and a budget of $1.5 million a year, we produce 40 orchestral concerts a year, about a dozen different programs, and run two statewide programs on tour. That allows me to keep my fingers in a lot of areas,” he says. He also credits an active statewide governing board and six regional boards, adding up to 90 highly engaged community volunteers around the state.

The forthcoming TD Bank Summer Festival Tour is a highlight of the year. Jordan and staff will produce concerts in eight stunning outdoor locations across Vermont from July 1 through July 11, including the popular annual celebration of music and fireworks at Shelburne Farms on July 4.

Jordan’s roots are in Vermont. He came to rural Vermont as a high school senior and graduated from North Country Union High School in Newport. For many years his parents owned the legendary Miss Newport Diner. His mother sang in the church choir and a local choral group. Jordan went on to study voice at New England Conservatory in Boston, where he received a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance in 1983. He also began doing house management for the concert hall. In 1985, he married fellow voice student Karen Lacroix. His first full-time orchestra job involved production with the Brevard Symphony Orchestra in Melbourne, Florida. In 1992 the couple returned to New England, where Jordan became executive director of the New Hampshire Symphony in Manchester.

In December 1998, Jordan was tapped to head up the VSO. He was drawn to accept the job partly because of the potential collaboration with internationally acclaimed violinist Jaime Laredo, who lives in Guilford, Vermont. Laredo became the VSO’s music director in 2000, and since that time has brought a succession of world-renowned guest artists to solo with the orchestra, including Leon Fleisher, Lang Lang, Peter Serkin and, most recently, André Watts. “Vermont is so fortunate to have Jaime Laredo as a resident and as our musical ambassador,” Jordan says. “He brings his great musical talents, his connections to the international music scene and his warm personality to share with fellow Vermonters. It is a true joy to work with him.”

The education program and quality of the orchestra are also major reasons Jordan chose to return to Vermont. “Our SymphonyKids program is the most pervasive school program of any orchestra in the country,” Jordan says. “Our ensembles reach 60 percent of the communities in the state, roughly 50 percent of all the elementary and middle school students in Vermont.” He proudly notes that the SymphonyKids program comes to Charlotte Central School every year.

It’s hard to choose a favorite season, Jordan admits. He loves the summer tour and the great winter concerts at the Flynn. Jordan attends almost all VSO concerts. “In summer, there’s nothing like sitting in the audience with a delicious picnic, listening to music and watching the sun set over the mountains,” he says. Then, he adds, there are the programs featuring great performers in the Masterworks series, like the André Watts concerts in January. His most satisfying moment is “when the concert is over and the audience erupts into crazy applause.”
The Jordans moved into their house in Charlotte eight years ago. They love to garden, and most recently added an orchard to their extensive gardens. Karen Jordan has taught music at Vergennes Union High School for 11 years and serves as children’s choir director at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. Daughter Katie, 20, an accomplished French horn player, is studying at Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. This summer she is helping in the VSO office as volunteer coordinator. Son Christopher, 14, plays the trombone, and will be a freshman at CVU this fall. Alan Jordan also finds time for music himself – along with Katie and Christopher, he will again this summer play the tuba in the Vergennes City Band.
“Making music is what we do,” Jordan says with a smile.