Savannah, Ga. - As orchestras around the country are struggling, and too often failing to survive, there is a ray of hope in Savannah, Georgia with the formation of the new Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra under Artistic Director and Conductor Peter Shannon. Shannon arrived in Savannah just two years ago after ten years as the Conductor of Collegium Musicum in Heidelberg, Germany.

Shannon was hired as the new Artistic Director of a volunteer chorus, The Savannah Choral Society, in December, 2006.  The Chorus has formed in 2002, after the Savannah Symphony closed its doors.  Left with no financial resources, members of the now-defunct Savannah Symphony Chorus reformed themselves and were experiencing modest success with concerts held primarily in local churches.  When their director unexpectedly resigned, the group set out to find a new director who could lead them to bigger and better things.

“We felt that we had potential, but we needed a conductor who could expand our horizons,” said Gretchen Ernest, then Chairman of the Chorus.  “We were amazed when in our search for a director a musician of Peter Shannon’s calibre seemed to be a possibility.  He came over for an interview, and I think the charm of Savannah wound its fingers around his heart.  We all knew, as did Peter, that this was a big gamble financially for all of us.  We couldn’t pay what he was worth, but he saw something in us that he liked and he thought he could build us into something worthwhile.”

In October, 2007, the group hired local musicians, many of whom had played in the Savannah Symphony, to perform Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” in Savannah’s beautiful Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The 1000-seat cathedral was packed, and the production earned rave reviews.  From that point on, Shannon knew that there was a future for him and for this group in Savannah.

As the Chorus gained in style and grew an audience, it became clear that the opportunity for a new orchestra was lurking just under the surface.  Shannon’s experience as an orchestral conductor allowed him to bring out the best in local musicians, many of whom realized that this conductor was something special.   As one of them put it recently, “Peter is tough.  He knows exactly what he wants, and he won’t settle for less.  I would play for him for free.”  Combining his natural Irish charm with a complete dedication to the music, Shannon’s energy and professionalism have wowed many in the audience in Savannah.
“I just love to watch him conduct,” said one of the doyens of Savannah society.
“His energy is amazing, and he pours his whole heart and soul into it.”
A local newspaper critic compared Shannon to the rock group AC/DC (!):
“They’re a juggernaut onstage —They play with an almost casual aggressiveness, in the manner of   professional assassins.
I hope Peter Shannon forgives the tortured analogy to AC/DC — it’s intended as a compliment — but that’s exactly who he reminded me of… Shannon shook the concertmaster’s hand, waved briefly to the audience, quickly turned on his heels and brought his hand down —boom — for the first note.
Wow, I thought — I was impressed, and the musicians and singers were clearly motivated to rise to his level of intensity.”
In August, 2008, a dedicated but small group of music lovers got together and formed the new Savannah Philharmonic Corporation as a parent company for the Chorus and a new orchestra.  The Chorus changed its name to Savannah Philharmonic Chorus, and the orchestra made its debut with the Chorus in January, 2009, with a sold-out, fully-staged production of Lehar’s “The Merry Widow”.  The Orchestra will do its first solo concert February 27, presenting Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Liszt’s “Totentanz”.   Pianist Shaun Tirrell from Washington, D.C. will be the soloist.

Asked recently by a former Savannah Symphony fan what it will take to bring back a full-sized orchestra to Savannah, Shannon had a one word answer:  money.  By working with friends and former associates, Shannon has managed to bring outstanding talents to Savannah to bolster his productions for very little cost, but that can’t go on forever.  The orchestral players are hired on a per-service basis, and schedules are difficult to manage since most also play for several other groups.
The Board of Directors, headed by Richard Platt, is determined to operate in a fiscally responsible manner.  As Platt puts it, “Throughout its 6-year history, the Chorus has stayed in the black, and we will do the same with the orchestra.  We know there is a market out there – we’ve proven that.  Now the customers need to prove that they want an orchestra again in Savannah.  We have the conductor, the players, and the dedication.  The public has opened its hearts to Peter, now all we need is for them to open their wallets as well.”