Skrowaczewski’s Musical Protest

Stanislaw Skrowaczewski is 80, and looks it. But the wiry little man, who has built a reputation as one of the world’s preeminent composers and conductors, is as full of energy as ever, and his latest symphony, which premieres this week in Minneapolis, has a decidedly angry bent, reflecting his frustration with the current lot of the arts in America. “For Skrowaczewski, the symphony reflects matters both public and private. In a recent conversation at Orchestra Hall, the conductor nearly exploded on hearing the name of President George W. Bush. ‘Stupid! He has spoiled the position of this country for decades,’ he said.”