GREENVILLE

Michael Gelfand believes in establishing tradition with a symphony, and the new music director and conductor of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra is joining an ensemble steeped in it.

Gelfand takes over from Dr. Paul Chenevey, who led the group for 16 years. Chenevey's predecessor Ivan Romanenko, was music director for 17 years.

But Gelfand, 53, of Boardman, Ohio, is being called on to lead the symphony into a new frontier, one of shorter pieces, more exciting selections and emphasizing the brass and percussion sections instead of just the strings.

The professor of music at Youngstown State University said he is excited by the prospect.

"I've got the ball and I'm going to run with it the best I can," he said.

Gelfand was one of three candidates who got to conduct the symphony last season. The others were Dr. Richard Konzen and R. Tad Greig.

With 30 years of playing and 25 years of conducting under his belt, Gelfand said he will draw on that experience with Greenville.

"I have a good idea of what needs to happen," he said. "Right now, we need to connect with the audience and the orchestra."

Gelfand said the orchestra's response to his direction at the October concert was "outstanding."

"A lot of the orchestra came up to me after rehearsals and the concert and said, 'Wow, that was fun,' " said the music director of Ashtabula Area Orchestra.

Gelfand promises programs that are "upbeat, engaging and exciting" for the musicians and the audience.

"This is something you can do that will positively effect a large number of people," he said. "You don't get to do that too often."

Gelfand will take the baton for the symphony's season-opening concert Oct. 5. He'll conduct pieces by Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Brahms and Dvorak.

Pianist Roman Rudnytsky, a colleague of Gelfand's at YSU, will join for Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue."

One of the traditions Gelfand wants to set is the participation of young people. Nick Samson, a Greenville High School senior, will be featured on Hummell's Trumpet Concerto in E flat.

The concert also will include selections from "Oklahoma," "The Star-Spangled Banner" and John Williams' Harry Potter Symphonic Suite.

"It's like a meal," said Gelfand, principal cellist with the Youngstown Symphony and Warren Philharmonic orchestras and member of the Amici Trio. "We'll have your appetizers, we'll have your entrees and we'll have your desserts."

An abridged version of the program will be performed for school students three days later.

Greenville Area Community Theater will join for the Feb. 22 concert for Broadway and patriotic numbers, and the April 26 show will feature works by Russian and French composers, music from "Ragtime" and Richard Rodgers' tunes.

All Greenville concerts are in Passavant Center, Thiel College, Greenville.

The symphony is selling subscriptions to its 2002-03 season of concerts. To receive information, call (724) 588-2911. Tickets also will be sold at the door the night of each concert.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Joe Pinchot at jpinchot@sharonherald.com