ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, April 18, 1996               TAG: 9604180047
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-1  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: KEVIN KITTREDGE STAFF WRITER 

RSO DANCES AROUND NAME

Roanoke Symphony Orchestra officials still were negotiating Wednesday with their top candidate for music director, a spokesperson said.

David Wiley, assistant conductor of the Minneapolis Orchestra, is the likely replacement for departed conductor and music director Victoria Bond.

Wiley is scheduled to meet RSO patrons, musicians, and officials this afternoon at 5:45 at the Jefferson Center's Fitzpatrick Hall on Campbell Avenue. He is slated to remain in Roanoke through Monday night's concert, to be conducted by Jeffrey Sandborg.

Symphony officials have not confirmed that Wiley is the new music director - and public relations director Lori Gubala said Wednesday afternoon that negotiations were ongoing.

"We have made a selection. We have extended an offer and are negotiating a contract. As of yesterday [Tuesday] afternoon, things hit a momentary pause. And they're still paused," she said.

Gubala declined to elaborate on the reason for the "pause." She said that publicity "is not helping the negotiation."

Today's news conference will take place despite what happens, Gubala said, but "we may have to announce that we are in fact still negotiating. ... We expect our new music director-designate to be there."

Wiley, 29, has a master's degree in instrumental conducting from Indiana University.

The first of five finalists for the position to conduct the symphony, he cut a "Beethovian figure" and showed a taste for the dramatic gesture in his guest appearance last October, reviewer Seth Williamson wrote.

The orchestra's performance of Beethoven, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Antonin Dvorak under Wiley's baton was clearly to the audience's taste. "To judge by the reaction at the end of the night, a lot of satisfied customers would have no problem with Maestro Wiley taking the baton on a permanent basis," Williamson wrote.

Wiley could not be reached for comment.

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