Dr. Richard Konzen grew up in Pontiac, Mich., and some of his most vivid childhood memories are of seeing the Pontiac orchestra, for which his father played.

"I couldn't tell you anything that was played, but I do remember how much fun it was," Konzen said.

Although Konzen still enjoys going to concerts, as often as not he's one of the people in the spotlight, as a performer or conductor.

"I think the fun is still there and the opportunity to make music with a group of people like the Greenville orchestra is simply great fun -- and I hope that enthusiasm is communicated with the audience."

Konzen is one of three candidates who want to succeed Dr. Paul Chenevey as conductor and music director of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. Konzen will direct the group in its concert Saturday at Passavant Center, Thiel College, Greenville.

The other hopefuls are Michael Gelfand, who directed an October concert, and R. Tad Greig, who gets his turn in April.

Konzen said his desire to "get out and make music" prompted him to apply for the job.

"I see it as an opportunity to make music on a slightly different level from what one can do in an academic setting," said the associate professor of music at Grove City College. "I think I've got the experience."

With Grove City since 1992, Konzen is music director of the college orchestra, making him responsible for programming ideas, posters and programs.

Konzen has established a number of playing ensembles at the college and directed the musical part of musical theater productions. He teaches a conducting seminar for advanced students in addition to more general classes.

The Mercer resident's outside conducting duties have included leading the Hradec Kralove Filharmonie in the Czech Republic, reorganizing the Bach Society of Grove City and directing the chorus in early performances of the former Greenville Lyric Opera, now Valley Lyric Opera.

Along with auditioning conductor candidates, the symphony board is using the season to introduce a new musical direction, marked by shorter pieces, segments of longer works instead of the entire work, and selections that put less emphasis on the string section.

Such changes are becoming common with orchestras as they strive to fill seats, said Konzen, who holds a bachelor's degree from DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind., and two masters and a doctoral degree from Yale University, New Haven, Conn.

"The direction they chose is probably a good way to build an audience, turn things around, however you want to read what they're trying to do," he said.

Konzen tends to focus on shorter pieces or parts of longer pieces in his teaching duties. "I've got a lot of things I want to accomplish with the students," he said.

"It's not so much the length of the pieces," he added. "It's communication with the audience so they will want to devote their attention."

Communication with the audience would be a priority should he get the Greenville job, Konzen said. Possible ways to educate the audience include speaking during concerts, printing brochures and patron newsletters, setting up a Web site and sending small groups of musicians into schools.

"You have to tell people about what you are doing," said the music director of First United Methodist Church, Sharon. "You can't just begin something, the audience will dutifully sit through it, applaud and go home."

Saturday's concert will be bookended by a couple of Ludwig van Beethoven pieces. His "Overture to Fidelio" will open the show, and the Shenango Valley Chorale and soloists will join for the final movement of Beethoven's ninth symphony, the so-called "Ode to Joy."

While Konzen wants to remain faithful to Beethoven's intent, he admitted he will be at a disadvantage in not playing the three movements that proceed it.

But he called the "Ode to Joy" "a very powerful statement. It's very profound on its own."

Another notable work will be selections of an orchestrated version of Modest Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition."

Mussorgsky wrote the work as a piano piece. Maurice Ravel's orchestration is the version that most people know.

However, the orchestra will be performing a lesser known orchestration by Mikail Tushmalov, a student of Mussorgsky's friend, Nikolai Rimky-Korsakov.

"It's very Russian," said Konzen, who plays in a piano duo with his wife, Terri.

Some of the Victor Hartmann paintings that inspired Mussorgsky will be projected while the orchestra is playing, Konzen said.

Other works on the program are Antonin Dvorak's "Slavonic Dance No. 6" and Richard Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier Waltz."

Konzen makes the same promise of the concert that Gelfand did in October: "I think the program on March 2 will indeed knock their socks off."

But, Konzen added, he's not looking at the tryout as a competition.

"You don't worry about it," he said. "You go out there and do the very best you can with the group and make music."

jpinchot@sharon-herald.com