Ashley Gurbal, agurbal@altoonamirror.com

POSTED: March 14, 2008

Classical guitarist Jason Vieaux has performed in major cities throughout the world, but it isn’t the venue that influences him the most. It’s the people.

“Some of my most profound experiences playing music happen when I’m really communicating with the audience,” Vieaux, 34, said in a recent telephone interview. “It all depends on the audience.”

Vieaux will be the featured artist as the Altoona Symphony Orchestra presents its sixth concert of the season at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Mishler Theatre, Altoona. Vieaux will join the symphony as it performs Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo’s “Fantasia para un Gentilhombre.”

“(The piece) is a little lesser known but still loved by the audience,” Vieaux said. “It’s a really ingenious mix. ... it very skillfully combines dances and aesthetics of the Renaissance with the music of the 20th century.”

Vieaux began to seriously consider a musical career at age 12, after his first full-length recital.

“It seemed like something that came naturally, being in front of people and playing music,” Vieaux said in a recent telephone interview. “Even at an early age, I felt fulfilled by it. ... It was more of a gut feeling than anything else.”

ASO board president Lue Kormanski said Vieaux’s performance with ASO is a “real coup.”

“He is an internationally renowned guitarist,” Kormanski said. “It’s really exciting for him to be coming to Altoona.”

Vieaux won’t be the only guest on the stage Satur-day — the ASO’s third candidate for conductor, Geof-frey Moull, will have his turn with the orchestra.

Moull, who declined to give his age, is the music director of Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

“I’m completing my ninth and last season with Thunder Bay,” Moull said. “I just think it’s been long enough. It’s getting close to a decade, and it’s the longest I’ve been in any conductorship position.”

Prior to his appointment at Thunder Bay, Moull spent two decades in Europe, where he was conductor of the Bielefeld Philharmonic Orchestra and Opera in Berlin, Germany. He said the ASO position was attractive to him because he and his wife, Monika, wanted to be “closer to civilization.”

“Thunder Bay is seven hours from a major city,” he said with a laugh.

The public is invited to meet Moull at noon today at the Allegro for “Luncheon with the Maestro,” as ASO has done with previous candidates. If selected, Moull said he would focus on community outreach, if funds were available — Thunder Bay uses government grants for its programs.

“Orchestras can’t sit back smugly on the stage of the concert hall and expect the audience to keep coming back,” he said.

ASO is seeking audience input to help select the new conductor. Audiences had positive feedback for the first two conductors, Kormanski said — which could make it to difficult to choose, if all four candidates are well received. But it’s better than if all four receive negative feedback, she said.

“It’s a good situation to be in,” she said with a laugh.

In addition to Vieaux’s rendition of ‘‘Fantasia para un Gentilhombre,’’ the concert will include Richard Wagner’s ‘‘Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg Prelude,’’ Maurice Ravel’s ‘‘Pavane pour une infante defunte’’ and Modest Mussorgsky’s ‘‘Pictures at an Exhibition.’’

‘‘There’s going to be quite a variety of different sounds,’’ said Brooke Welsh, ASO executive director.

The concert is the first with Welsh at the helm, and she said all preparations have gone smoothly.

‘‘It’s been wonderful. I absolutely enjoy it,’’ she said. ‘‘The board is really supportive of this concert.’’

Mirror Staff Writer Ashley Gurbal is at 946-7435.