Conductor Kevin Fitzgerald talks queer excellence in classical music, Bernstein & why he’s never seen ‘Tár’
who—do you picture?“It’s probably an older white man who looks very serious,” jokes Kevin Fitzgerald, the 32-year-old who is currently the Associate Conductor of the acclaimed Jacksonville Symphony in Florida.It’s no secret that the performing arts are very, very gay—from singers and dancers to mimes and magicians, LGBTQ+ folks simply love to put on a show!
And that can be true in the world of classical music, too, except that, historically speaking, the role of the conductor has been largely held by cis, straight men.Subscribe to our daily newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.On one hand, the seriousness Fitzgerald refers to is part of the job; it’s about the music, and not who’s standing on the podium. “It’s kind of anonymous,” he adds. “You don’t really get a sense of who the person is.
Because there is this kind of philosophy that, as a conductor, you’re there to express the composer’s intentions. And so who you are, your idiosyncratic personality, is secondary to that.”But on the other hand, the art of conducting—of leading an orchestra—has favored and upheld a more rigid idea of presentational masculinity for far too long.However, the openly gay (and married!) Fitzgerald is just one of many exciting, rising names in the field who are helping to gradually changes perceptions of what a conductor can and should be.
