“For clues to what Nagano brings the Montreal music community – beyond his world reputation as a nervy tightrope walker in stimulating musical climates – you have to examine his [25-year] relationship with the ragtag [Berkeley Symphony Orchestra.] For the youthful orchestra, comprising mainly part-timers, epitomizes his belief in total engagement with the music. Community means everything to him, specifically his beloved Bay Area, but also branching out into strong personal connections to ‘adopted’ cities where he tackles high-stakes environments with implacable cool.”