Page to host South America's finest

Any college student could tell you that home is a special place.

It's a feeling Maestro John Neschling, conductor of the Orquestra de Sao Paolo, can also relate to. After a bright career as a renowned conductor in Europe for 20 years, he surprised everyone when he made the drastic decision to leave the long-established European opera houses and symphonies to return to his native Brazil and conduct the Orquestra, which will perform in Page Auditorium on Tuesday.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much for him to come home to. "I took over an orchestra that was in very bad shape," said Neschling. The orchestra, which was formed in 1954, had hardly had a stable history. Although it was initially successful, the orchestra twice lost its "practical value" and had to cease playing after poor programming and administration caused it to sink into decline. With no rehearsal or performance space, an unenthusiastic public and no unique sound to call its own, the orchestra was struggling, to say the least.

However, this state of decay didn't sway Neschling, who took over in 1997 as the orchestra's music director and conductor.

"I always wanted to use my European experience. in my own home and create and practically build up an orchestra from scratch," said Neschling, who is the grandnephew of both composer Arnold Schoenberg and conductor Arthur Bodanzky. "It's a challenge that I could not find anywhere else in the world, and being at home and trying to do it in my own backyard is the best way."

Neschling certainly did rise to the challenge. Since he began leading the orchestra almost a decade ago, it has risen from the depths of obscurity to now being considered the most important symphonic ensemble in Latin America. With unusually young personnel-the average age of the musicians in the orchestra is less than 40-the group has more energy and a faster learning curve than most, Neschling said.

This resilient and vivacious orchestra is bringing strong flavors of Brazilian rhythm, sound and charm to concert halls across America during its 13-city tour. At Duke University, the orchestra will be performing Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, and world-renowned Brazilian cellist and member of the Beaux Arts Trio Antonio Meneses, will be joining the orchestra to play a concerto by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos.

But even if the program isn't enough to drag you away from your books or your TV, Neschling offers one more reason to see his orchestra Tuesday night.