ASO Principal Clarinet Remembers Robert Shaw’s Humility

April 6th, 2016

This story is part of WABE, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and ArtsATL’s The Shaw 100th series. For more stories, click here.

Soon after graduating from Juilliard, clarinetist Laura Ardan got something she didn’t expect: a principal position at a major symphony orchestra.

Thirty-four years later, she still holds that position at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Ardan also sits in the endowed Robert Shaw Chair.

“Most musicians who worked with [Shaw] realized that he was much more comfortable with the chorus,” Ardan said. “Having said that, I think that his complete vulnerability with the instrumental of the orchestra created a kind of awe among the musicians, where they knew he wasn’t completely secure with what he was doing, but they knew his musical intent was correct and serious and profound.”

For Ardan, Shaw was a grandfatherly figure, who nurtured the inherent talent of young musicians. She also valued Shaw for his commitment, integrity and humility.

“He was such a great humanitarian,” she remembered. “He was trying to make the music accessible to everybody through the composer … It was as if he saw the human quality in the music and made sure that got to the people.”

This story is a part of The Shaw 100th initiative, a collaboration between the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, ArtsATL and WABE 90.1FM to provide multifaceted coverage of Robert Shaw’s life and legacy in celebration of what would have been his 100th birthday.