For only the third time since its 1964 start, Southwest Symphony Orchestra is searching for a music director, and each of three finalists will have a chance to guest conduct in coming months.

David Crane, who helmed the nonprofit for 30 years after succeeding Oak Lawn native Alfred Aulwurm, retired at the end of the 2023-24 season and is now music director emeritus.

“There’s not a lot of places that community members can play in if you’re not a professional. That’s something we wanted to continue,” said Rosanne Arnold, president of the Southwest Symphony Orchestra board.

She is part of the seven-member committee made up of half board members and half orchestra members who began searching for a music director in June 2023.

There are three finalists: Brian Dollinger, music director of Iowa-based Muscatine Symphony Orchestra; Benjamin Nadel, associate conductor for New Philharmonic in Glen Ellyn; and Silas Huff, director of orchestras at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

There were about 50 applicants including 20 from Illinois and candidates from Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Serbia, Spain, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Candidates submitted a letter explaining their interest, a résumé, examples of programs they conducted, links to online videos of them conducting and a concert program for Southwest Symphony Orchestra.

“Everybody had ranked their top people. We put that all together and combined the scores,” said Arnold, of Palos Hills.

The job posting sought candidates with exceptional musicianship and conducting skills; significant conducting experience including work with professional, semiprofessional and amateur musicians; and a range of repertoire.

Other qualifications listed included strong interpersonal, leadership and communication skills as well as vision, passion and the ability to make symphonic music relevant and exciting for existing and new audiences through both traditional and innovative means.

The committee did phone interviews with 12 candidates and face-to-face interviews with six semifinalists. The three finalists each guest conduct a concert during the 2024-25 season at Trinity Christian College’s Ozinga Chapel Auditorium, 6601 W. College Drive, Palos Heights.

“Each of them has a big piece in the second half,” Arnold said. “We also asked them to work with a soloist so we had our orchestra submit who were interested in playing what (the candidates) wanted to play. We selected three soloists.”

Finalist Dollinger guest conducts Marquise: Power, Passion & Grace, which opens the season at 4 p.m. Nov. 10 with Brian Gaona, principal cellist of Southwest Symphony Orchestra, and pieces by Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann, Georges Bizet and Johannes Brahms.

Besides conducting Muscatine Symphony Orchestra, Dollinger is artistic leader for Iowa-based Clinton Symphony Orchestra and Hawaii-based Kamuela Philharmonic, music director of West Hawaii Dance Theatre and co-founder of Illinois Chamber Music Academy.

“The vibe he gave off was exciting,” Arnold said.

Finalist Nadel guest conducts Radiant: Celebrate 60! at 4 p.m. on March 2 with Mark Lindeblad, principal bassoonist of Southwest Symphony Orchestra, and pieces by Dmitri Shostakovich, Franz Schubert, Gustav Holst, Carl Maria von Weber, Jules Massenet and Antonín Dvorák.

Besides his work with New Philharmonic in Glen Ellyn, where he is also orchestra librarian, Nadel is orchestra director at North Central College in Naperville and the Northwest Indiana Symphony Youth Orchestra, and music director for Youth Symphony of DuPage.

“He put together an entire program related to either things we played at our first concert or things from the ’60s,” Arnold said.

She said he increased a youth orchestra from 15 members to 50 members.

Finalist Huff guest conducts Baguette: April in Paris at 4 p.m. on April 6 with Ian Fitzwater, principal trombonist of Southwest Symphony Orchestra, and pieces by Emmanuel Chabrier, Lili Boulanger, Ferdinand David and Modest Mussorgsky/Maurice Ravel.

In addition to directing at NIU, Huff is co-director of the International Conducting Institute in Colorado, director of Maestri Series Workshops and conductor of International Concerto Festival.

“He would bring a little more modernity, a little more where you can connect with the audience,” Arnold said.

After reviewing the committee’s input and feedback from orchestra member questionnaires, the Southwest Symphony Orchestra board will select the music director, who will be named at Emerald: Cross Keys and Tchaikovsky, which Crane conducts to close the season at 7:30 p.m. on May 10.

“It will give the orchestra a chance to say goodbye,” Arnold said.

Southwest Symphony Orchestra’s 60 members representing Blue Island, Chicago, Chicago Heights, Chicago Ridge, Frankfort, Hickory Hills, Homewood, New Lenox, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park and Plainfield.

Tickets are $10 to $35 (free for ages younger than 10) for each concert. Information is at 708-802-0686 or southwestsymphony.com.

Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.