When the curtain went up after intermission on Dec. 12 at the Oakland Symphony’s 29th annual Let Us Break Bread Together holiday concert at the Paramount Theater, 16-year-old Roman St. Gerard stepped out on stage. Not even a wicked rainstorm could deter 2,000 people from attending what has become a joyous and highly anticipated holiday celebration of a wide range of music and cultures. For St. Gerard, standing on the conductor’s platform felt “surreal.” He said he was “nervous and scared,” but the dress rehearsal was actually a lot more nerve-wracking than the performance, since it was his first time on the big stage.

He lifted his baton and the symphony’s players launched into a masterful performance of Leroy Anderson’s jazzy classic Sleigh Ride.

In past years, the honor of guest-conducting Sleigh Ride has typically gone to the highest bidder at an annual auction supporting the Oakland Symphony. But this year, the symphony asked its major donors to bid on this opportunity for a student taking part in the MUSE program, an education and enrichment initiative in public schools. Heavily influencing this decision was the fact that Michael Morgan, the symphony’s maestro who died last year at age 63, dreamed of being a conductor at age 12. Morgan was a passionate supporter of MUSE, which has served thousands of kids each year.  

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