Alexander Prior : Seattle Symphony Orchestra

- Alexander Prior, 17 years old, conducts the Seattle Symphony Orchestra during a rehearsal. The British teenager is expected to stand in for no-show guests and lead special concerts this year. Many of the Orchestra members have their own children of his age, many had joined the Orchestra even before Prior was born.

"I don't think age really matters so much. Young musicians have a certain energy, which is not the same as older musicians, who have more wisdom and experience. So you have something fresh to bring."

Symphonies have their pick among hundreds of conductors, and some think Prior is too young to have what it takes. He says he just started early. Several years ago in Moscow, the conductor for the orchestra recording one of Prior's symphonic poems showed up drunk, and Prior had to fill in.

"I had to do it myself. I was, what, 11 or 12? I didn't have a stick, so I just took a pencil. Obviously, I had no technique, but the orchestra could see I was 11."

가만 있어보자. 내가 열일곱일때 뭘했나.

이성에 막 눈뜨던 그 나이였나. 막연히 왜라는 질문도 없이, 주위 아이들 따라 이유도 모른체 그리 휩쓸리듯 경쟁하며 공부만 했었나. 뭐 취미 같은것은 있었는지나 모르겠다. 그때는 순진하게도 무조건 서울대만 들어가면 색시들이 트럭으로 줄선다는 어머니 말씀을 반쯤은 믿었던 듯 기억된다. 그냥 열심히는 살았던듯 싶은데, 바보처럼 목표가 없었구나. 아니, 목표는 있었지. 단지 그것들이 내가 세운 것들이 아니라, 세상이 이미 정해놓은 골인점들인지는 너무 뒤늦게 깨달았을뿐.

인생은 마라톤이라는데, 나는 여지껏 100 미터 달리기만 줄기차게 뛰어온 모양이다. 숨만 가쁘다, 허무하게.