Rei Hotoda began playing piano at the age of 3 in Japan. Hotoda arrived Tuesday in Kennett Square to audition for the position of Conductor of the Kennett Symphony. The next morning she told her story — a

geographic and career journey — to a group from the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce.

After an undergraduate and doctoral degree in piano performance, a career as a concert pianist would have seemed most likely path. As a student, Hotoda was playing a concerto under the direction of another student. She told of how wanted to jump up and tell the conductor how to conduct the symphony orchestra. The 88 keys of the piano were no longer enough.

Describing her experience as conductor, Hotoda said conducting is multitasking leadership, management, and psychology. The conductor must lead a group of individuals, each with his own talents and history, to a goal. The goal is not just beating notes out, but it is for the individuals to come together to make music.

Hotoda is the second of three candidates to come to Kennett Square Symphony during this conductor search season. The candidates come to Kennett Square for one week where they are given a budget and plan a program within that budget. One hard decision she made was to use a keyboard instead of a full piano to offer a variety of pieces and instruments yet stay within budget.

“Spirit of the Season” is the name of the concert to be held at Kennett High School Saturday night at 8 p.m. The concert venue and time of year tend to have family participation. With this in mind, Hotoda selected many favorite and short pieces that are accessible. The few pieces that might be less familiar will be accompanied by a brief description.

Having selected the works to be played, the orchestra members come to three rehearsals knowing the music.

“There is a lot of trust involved,” she said.

The musicians have to know their parts. This concert involves the Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus so they too have to arrive having practiced.

The schedule is one rehearsal with the chorus, which happened the day Hotoda arrived. The next two days are 2 ½ hour rehearsals with the orchestra. Finally the day of the performance, there is a dress rehearsal with chorus and orchestra.

In between the actual rehearsals, Hotoda is meeting with many constituencies of the Kennett Symphony including the board, the press, and the patrons.

Hotoda’s vision for the evening is a Christmas party with the spirit of giving. Concert goers are asked to arrive with canned goods to be donated to the Kennett Food Cupboard.

Parades and parties are what Hotoda would recommend for the 75^th anniversary of the Kennett Symphony coming up next year. She would like to see an artist in residence and a fund begun for the Kennett Symphony to build its own concert hall.

Monica Buffington, Executive Director, said that the Kennett Symphony enjoys an excellent relationship and the wonderful facilities of West Chester University, Lincoln University and Kennett High School. She did allow that it would be nice not to have to move everything for every concert.

The concert will be preceded by an introduction by Hotoda of the works to be played. After the concert, there will be a question and answer period. The Kennett Symphony will take surveys of the audience as part of the conductor evaluation process. Input from the audience, other constituents and the musicians will be collected in order to make the final decision. The entire process will take 18 months.

At present Hotoda makes her home with her conductor husband and children in Morton Illinois, the pumpkin capital of the world. Will she find a new home in the Mushroom Capital?

Tickets for Saturday’s concert art on sale at

http://www.kennettsymphony.org/index.php/concerts-buy-tickets