50 Stories for 50 Years: Danielle Maddon
Story #1 — Concertmaster since 2000
When Danielle Maddon moved to Boston to study violin performance at Boston University, she was already developing a passion for the challenging leadership role of concertmaster.
At BU, Danielle studied with renowned concertmaster Rafael Druian, who had brought her to Boston on scholarship following her two Tanglewood fellowships. When Druian retired, he recommended that she continue her studies with violinist Bayla Keyes.
Both Tanglewood and BU gave Danielle formative concertmaster experiences. Druian, in particular, was "a fountain of advice and a strict tutor" who taught her the ropes of this demanding position.
As she began performing with Boston-area orchestras and chamber groups, Danielle discovered that she thrived in positions of challenge and responsibility. She wanted to find an orchestra where she could continue to grow as a musician and leader.
During a lesson, Bayla Keyes mentioned that the New England Philharmonic had an opening for concertmaster. Danielle decided to audition.
Meeting NEP Music Director Richard Pittman was a delight. He already knew of Danielle from Tanglewood and other local concerts and agreed to give her a tryout. She auditioned with Witold Lutosławski's Chain 2, Dialogue for Violin and Orchestra, a demanding work that moves between free tempo, improvisation, wild modern violin techniques, and strict meter.
"It felt like a vivacious dialogue with the orchestra," Danielle recalls.
The rehearsals and performance went well, and on the same program she performed concertmaster duties for Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream incidental music. Happily, both Dick and the orchestra welcomed her into this challenging leadership role.
That was in 2000.
Since then, Danielle has performed a violin concerto with NEP nearly every year—some 26 concertos in all. In keeping with NEP's mission of innovation, these modern concertos have continued to feed her desire for growth and challenge. A prominent Boston composer once called their annual endeavor "the Grand Tour," and Danielle has taken that idea to heart, seeking out great but rarely performed works beyond the traditional canon.
Her years with NEP have also included memorable collaborations with Richard Pittman and composers Bernard Hoffer, Andy Vores, and David Rakowski, including concertos written specifically for her. Among the performances she remembers most fondly are Alban Berg's Wozzeck and Violin Concerto and John Harbison's Violin Concerto.
Danielle also founded the NEP Chamber Players, which has performed throughout New England in collaboration with organizations including the Boston Athenaeum, the Peabody Essex and Cape Ann Museums, and the Boston Children's Museum. The Chamber Players will return on February 27, 2027, to perform Bernard Hoffer's score alongside Buster Keaton's silent film Sherlock Jr. at the Colonial Theatre in Keene, New Hampshire.
Following Richard Pittman's retirement and a music director search, NEP welcomed Tianhui Ng. Danielle describes Tian as "wonderful for the orchestra, and a true collaborator with an expansive vision."
One of her favorite memories with Tian came during his audition for NEP, when they performed Chen Yi's 2005 Violin Concerto, Spring in Dresden. From the concertmaster's chair, Danielle heard the orchestra "shining" behind her and felt grateful for Tian's inspired conducting.
After more than 25 years, Danielle is still finding new challenges and opportunities to grow.
"I'm still learning from my NEP colleagues how to be an effective, positive force as a leader, and bring a sense of teamwork to the string section."
As another season begins, Danielle remains grateful to be working with NEP and Tian each week.
“Always learning, growing through challenges, and working with excellent and trusted colleagues, the NEP feels like home to me.”