COLUMN: Roderick Cox to conduct in L.A., Philadelphia. You can see him in Macon Monday

Macon native Roderick Cox’s story is one Macon needs to be reminded of for several reasons.

Cox will conduct the Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra for its opening second-season concert Monday at the Grand Opera House at 7:30 p.m., sandwiching in the appearance after guest conducting the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and Spain’s Barcelona Symphony and before rounding out the year with the American Ballet Theatre at Lincoln Center, France’s Opera De Rouen Normandie, Orchestre Nationale de Montpellier and Germany’s Duisburger Philharmoniker.

After that, he begins 2023 conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra, LA Philharmonic and the Juilliard Symphony Orchestra.

All of that is evidence of the first reason to be reminded of Cox: he’s a young man from here, 34, of great talent who’s being welcomed and proven on the world stage.

Cox’s Macon appearance is a don’t-miss opportunity. No performance of the Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra should be missed as was well-established during its first season, but even the orchestra’s organizers knew bringing Cox would be special.

The Macon-Mercer Symphony was the brainchild of Robert McDuffie, also a Macon native who is himself an internationally renowned violin virtuoso and founder of Mercer University’s McDuffie Center for Strings.

The center brings students from across the globe to Macon to fine-tune their talents. The Macon-Mercer Symphony was created to give center students the opportunity to interact and perform with principal players of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for real-life experience. That the community reaps the rewards of that experience is appreciated added value.

McDuffie said from day one he wanted Cox to conduct the group with the benefit of Cox getting to appear before a hometown audience.

“Roderick has been on my front burner since the creation of the Macon-Mercer Symphony,” McDuffie said. “He has become not just a conductor but such a significant conductor. He is a rare talent of whom we can all be very proud who is proving again that there’s something special about musicians and Macon.”

McDuffie went on about the talent and determination needed and the difficulty of becoming a working conductor, much less one operating in elite circles. He said Cox clearly possessed such characteristics and added Cox is also among the only 4 percent of working conductors who are of color.

He said it’s insulting to say Cox is significant because he’s a conductor of color because Cox is simply a very good conductor. But he said the fact remains though talents like Cox are changing things.

“I and many others admire him,” McDuffie said. “He was hands down our first choice to bring as a guest conductor. He and I do have that Macon connection and we’re both very proud to be from here.”

Cox said he was happy to answer the call to appear in Macon and that he literally answered the call to do so. Whereas most such arrangements are handled through managers and booking agents, the call to come was more friend-to-friend.

“I got a call straight from Bob while sitting out on my apartment’s balcony in Germany,” Cox said. Cox is based in Berlin now to be nearer European engagements as well as to enhance his understanding of classical music nearer its birthplace.

McDuffie said he got Cox’s number from the Redding family, knowing they had it because in his early years they helped Cox get a French horn to begin classical training in earnest. Zelma Redding, the widow of the late Otis Redding, gave the musical gift paving the way for Cox to attend the Schwob School of Music at Columbus (Ga.) State University then further training toward becoming a conductor. Cox said he found one instrument not enough to fulfill his musical vision.

Prior to that, Cox had been steered toward drums in his local school bands and orchestras but taught himself piano at home on an inexpensive keyboard.

It was Cox’s involvement with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Georgia that reportedly brought him to the attention of the Otis Redding Foundation. At the Boys and Girls Club, he became Georgia’s Youth of the Year and after college and ongoing education as a conductor, the Redding Foundation continued its help by funding participation in seminars and programs of study here and abroad.

Zelma Redding said she knew he would make it one day.

All of that lends itself to another thing to be reminded of about Cox. Though his talent and determination would have no doubt taken him far, a community, people and organizations in Macon – and his family – all had a hand in making his dreams a reality.

Cox’s mother, Brenda Cox, raised him and his brother as a single mother, their father being out of the home early on. She worked hard, sometimes at multiple jobs, and provided physically, emotionally and spiritually. Though she said she never imagined the course her son’s life would take, she said there were clues like his setting up his action figures and directing them as a choir.

As Macon can be proud of Cox, what he’s done, is doing and of the humble, humorous, yet serious attitude he’s taken toward life and his career, Macon can also be proud of playing a part even if it’s only as encouragement to continue helping one another, whether that’s through the Boys and Girls Club’s ongoing work, the Redding Foundation’s efforts to grow programs with a new center, other worthy organizations or the personal opportunities all have to show kindness and be a blessing to neighbors.

More of Cox’s story can be seen in the documentary film “Conducting Life” made by Diane Moore. Moore met Cox and was drawn to his story through his frequent appearances at Aspen, Colo., music festivals. The film was featured at the past Macon Film Festival.

But right now, there’s music to enjoy.

On Monday, Cox is set to conduct a light-hearted program with a theme of love stories from numerous cultures. Works include pieces from Smetana’s comic opera “The Bartered Bride,” Ravel’s mythic ballet “Daphnis et Chloé” and Leonard Bernstein’s “Symphonic Dances” from “West Side Story.”

Tickets are $25-$35 and students with ID are admitted free. Season subscriptions are also available. The Grand is located at 651 Mulberry St.

Further information on the concert, ticketing and Cox is at www.mcduffie.mercer.edu/symphony, www.thegrandmacon.com, and www.roderickcox.com.

Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.