Flint Institute of Music

Last updated
Flint Institute of Music
AbbreviationFIM
PredecessorFlint Community Music Association
Musical Performing Arts Association
Formation1971;53 years ago (1971)
Type NGO
Legal statusNonprofit corporation
HeadquartersDort Music Center
Location
Region
Genesee County, Michigan
President and CEO
Rodney Lontine
Director, Flint School of Performing Arts
Davin P. Torre
Producing Artistic Director, Flint Repertory Theatre
Nicole Samsel
Music Director and Conductor, Flint Symphony Orchestra
Enrique Diemecke
Website thefim.org

The Flint Institute of Music, also called the FIM, is located in the Flint Cultural Center in Flint, Michigan. It is ranked as the 8th largest community music school in the United States. [1] The FIM is made up of The Flint Symphony Orchestra, Flint School of Performing Arts and Flint Repertory Theatre; as well as the Whiting Auditorium and Capitol Theatre. The Flint Institute of Music offers lessons, classes, ensembles, and camps for all levels for ages 3 years to adults. Students perform in the dance and performance ensembles such as Flint Youth Symphony Orchestra, Flint Youth Ballet Ensemble, Flint Youth Theatre, Dort Honors Quartet, Imrpov Squad, among several others. The Flint Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Conductor Enrique Diemecke, performs a full season of classical concerts as well as free Music in the Park concerts at Genesee area parks in the Summer season. Additionally, the FIM sponsors the Holiday Pops concert every holiday season, featuring the Flint Symphony Orchestra, Flint Festival Chorus and local choirs. FIM's production of the Nutcracker ballet has been a local tradition for over 30 years.

Contents

The FIM is also home for the annual William C. Byrd Young Artists Competition.

Background

The Community Music Association was founded by J. Dallas Dort in 1917. The United Way in the 1920s underwrote the chorus and symphony. Dort's home was acquire by the Flint College & Cultural Development Committee of Sponsors in 1958 for the Flint Board of Education's Flint Community College for the music needs of the community. An all in one music building that would start with College-preparatory school students work up to a degree was being developed. [2] Flint Youth Theatre was founded in 1957 as [3] the program of the Bower Theatre, completed in 1958 as a part of the Flint Cultural Center plans. [2]

History

Organizers drew up article of incorporation for the Flint Institute of Music in 1966 with its first purpose of a capital campaign for a new music school building then the school with a community service division. In 1969, construction began on the Dort Music Center, which was to be an addition to the Dort home instead the home burned in a fire. The music center was completed in 1971. [2] William C. Byrd was appointed FIM director and conductor of the Flint Symphony Orchestra in 1966. In 1971, he began the Young Artist Competition. [4]

In 1971 the Community Music Association of Flint along with several other musical organizations, including Musical Performing Arts Association, merged to the newly formed Flint Institute of Music. [2] [5] Also, Mott College's music classes and community music programs moved in 1971. [2] In 1974, Byrd died while conducting a pops concert on a hot summer evening in Wilson Park. That year the Young Artist Competition was renamed in his honor. [4]

An Ireland concert tour took place in April 2014 by the Flint Youth Symphony Orchestra. [6] In August 2016 Rodney Lontine was appointed as the new CEO of Flint Institute of Music. [7] In 2017, Flint Youth Theatre held its first New Works Festival. [3]

On August 13, 2018, Flint Youth Theatre was expanded into Flint Repertory Theatre, or “The Rep”, a professional nonprofit regional theatre. Flint Youth Theatre would continue as a program of its education department. The Rep will begin offering a “Signature Series” with titles to be announced at the Rep’s season announcement party on August 22.

Components

each of these performance groups rehearses mid-September through early May weekly then have concerts at The Whiting at area schools


Buildings

Events

Series

Musicals and plays
Music

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Daugherty</span> American composer, pianist, and professor

Michael Kevin Daugherty is a multiple Grammy Award-winning American composer, pianist, and teacher. He is influenced by popular culture, Romanticism, and Postmodernism. Daugherty's notable works include his Superman comic book-inspired Metropolis Symphony for Orchestra (1988–93), Dead Elvis for Solo Bassoon and Chamber Ensemble (1993), Jackie O (1997), Niagara Falls for Symphonic Band (1997), UFO for Solo Percussion and Orchestra (1999) and for Symphonic Band (2000), Bells for Stokowski from Philadelphia Stories for Orchestra (2001) and for Symphonic Band (2002), Fire and Blood for Solo Violin and Orchestra (2003) inspired by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, Time Machine for Three Conductors and Orchestra (2003), Ghost Ranch for Orchestra (2005), Deus ex Machina for Piano and Orchestra (2007), Labyrinth of Love for Soprano and Chamber Winds (2012), American Gothic for Orchestra (2013), and Tales of Hemingway for Cello and Orchestra (2015). Daugherty has been described by The Times (London) as "a master icon maker" with a "maverick imagination, fearless structural sense and meticulous ear."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian classical music</span>

In Canada, classical music includes a range of musical styles rooted in the traditions of Western or European classical music that European settlers brought to the country from the 17th century and onwards. As well, it includes musical styles brought by other ethnic communities from the 19th century and onwards, such as Indian classical music and Chinese classical music. Since Canada's emergence as a nation in 1867, the country has produced its own composers, musicians and ensembles. As well, it has developed a music infrastructure that includes training institutions, conservatories, performance halls, and a public radio broadcaster, CBC, which programs a moderate amount of Classical music. There is a high level of public interest in classical music and education.

The Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (BYSO) is a youth orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts under the artistic leadership of music director, Federico Cortese. Since 1958, BYSO has served thousands of young musicians from throughout New England with three full symphonic orchestras, two young string training orchestras, six chamber orchestras, a preparatory wind ensemble, a chamber music program and a nationally recognized instrument training program for underrepresented youth from inner-city communities called the Intensive Community Program (ICP). The 2017-2018 season marks the celebration of BYSO's 60th Anniversary. Each year, BYSO auditions approximately 850 students from throughout New England, ages 5–18, and accepts nearly 500 young musicians.

The Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, commonly known as the ASYO, is an organization featuring Atlanta's young instrumentalists, created in 1974. Each May, about 300 middle to high school instrumentalists go through one or more auditions for places in the ASYO. Only about 100 will be selected to participate in the season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flint Cultural Center</span> Campus in Michigan, USA

The Flint Cultural Center (FCC) is a campus of cultural, scientific, and artistic institutes located in Flint, Michigan, United States. The institutions located on the grounds of the FCC are the Flint Institute of Arts, Flint Institute of Music, Sloan Museum, Flint Public Library, Buick Gallery & Research Center, Robert T. Longway Planetarium, The Whiting, and the Bower Theatre. The campus and some institutions are owned by Flint Cultural Center Corporation.

The Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras, or JSYO, is a youth orchestra based in Jacksonville, Florida.

The Louisville Youth Orchestra (LYO) was founded in 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky. The orchestra caters for young people from grade school through age 21. The LYO is made up of four orchestras, two elementary string programs, and various ensembles in which students advance according to their own musical progression and interests. There are nearly 400 musicians from 60 schools and 15 counties in the Louisville & Southern Indiana metro area.

Empire State Youth Orchestras (ESYO) is an ensemble of classical music performing groups aimed at providing talented young musicians with an opportunity to participate in group ensembles with other similar musicians. Based in the Capital Region of upstate New York, ESYO ensembles are composed of a total of approximately 300 talented and musically advanced high- and middle-school students from New York and western New England. The most advanced group, the Symphony Orchestra, is considered one of the premier youth orchestras in the United States, and regularly performs concerts at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Ozawa Hall at the Tanglewood Music Center, and Carnegie Hall and in New York City.

Sirena Huang is an American concert violinist. She has received numerous awards, including First Prize at the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, First Prize at the Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition, First Place at the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, and Third Place at the Singapore International Violin Competition and the Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition. She has performed with orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. Huang was appointed as the first Artist-in-Residence of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra in 2011.

New England String Ensemble was founded in 1993 by violinist Peter Stickel and cellist John Bumstead to champion strings in performance and education and is one of the country's leading professional string orchestras. The ensemble consists of 26 professional string musicians who perform four concert programs a year at both the Rogers Center for the Arts in North Andover, Massachusetts and New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. It is led by conductor and music director, Federico Cortese, and performs music from the 17th century to the present.

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra (WSO) is the oldest professional symphony orchestra in Kansas, performing out of Century II Concert Hall in downtown Wichita. It was founded in 1944.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D. J. Sparr</span> Musical artist

D. J. Sparr is an American composer and electric guitar soloist. He is influenced by impressionism and postminimalism, and is one of the preeminent composer-performers of his generation. Sparr's notable compositions include his one-act opera, Approaching Ali based on the work "The Tao of Muhammad Ali" by Davis Miller (2013), Concerto for Jazz Guitar and Orchestra: Katrina (2016), Violet Bond: Concerto for electric guitar and orchestra (2013), Dreams of the Old Believers for Orchestra (2014), Optima Vota for Orchestra (2012), Precious Metal: Concerto for flute and winds (2010), The Glam Seduction (2004), Woodlawn Drive (1999), Sound Harmonies with Air (2009), DACCA : DECCA : GaFfA (2008).

The Indianapolis Youth Orchestra is an organization in Indianapolis, Indiana that exists "to develop the musical talent and nurture the personal growth of young people in Indianapolis and central Indiana through the rehearsal and performance of orchestral masterworks, both traditional and contemporary." The Indianapolis Youth Orchestra was founded by Susan Kitterman in 1982 and currently consists of three separate orchestras:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Mitchell</span> American conductor, composer, and pianist (born 1979)

Brett Mitchell is an American conductor, composer, and pianist. He is currently Music Director of the Pasadena Symphony and Artistic Director & Conductor of the Sunriver Music Festival.

Kevin Patrick Noe is an American conductor, stage director, writer, and trumpeter. He is currently the executive artistic director of the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, and a regular guest conductor of orchestra, opera, and ballet at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin R. McMahon</span> American conductor, composer, orchestrator and violinist

Kevin R. McMahon is an American, orchestra/opera conductor, composer/orchestrator/arranger, clinician/adjudicator, and violinist.

Founded in 1976, the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras (EYSO) is the oldest and largest youth orchestra program in northwest Illinois and is composed of three full orchestras, two string orchestras, a brass choir, two percussion ensembles, a flute choir, and a large Chamber Music Institute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic</span>

The American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic is an audition-only ensemble for advanced high-school-aged musicians. Students perform masterworks of the repertory alongside sacred music. The Philharmonic was named the "Best Youth Performing Ensemble" by Best of State Utah in 2009 to 2015. Lyceum Philharmonic is one of the nation's premier youth orchestras. Located in American Fork, Utah, the group is led by conductor Kayson Brown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheng Wai</span> Pianist from Hong Kong

Praised as the "Piano Poet", Cheng Wai (鄭慧) is a pianist and Steinway Artist from Hong Kong. She is a winner of the Hong Kong Young Music Performer Award of the International Year of Youth and voted as one of the Top Ten Outstanding Young Persons by the Junior Chamber International Hong Kong in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black conductors</span>

Black conductors are musicians of African, Caribbean, African-American ancestry and other members of the African diaspora who are musical ensemble leaders who direct classical music performances, such as an orchestral or choral concerts, or jazz ensemble big band concerts by way of visible gestures with the hands, arms, face and head. Conductors of African descent are rare, as the vast majority are male and Caucasian.

References

  1. "Flint Institute of Music". Michigan. 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Dennison, Cheryl (May 1, 2018). "Rich in Culture History of the Flint Cultural Center, Part II". My City Mag. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Flint Youth Theatre Will Become Flint Repertory Theatre". American Theatre. Theatre Communications Group. August 13, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 Ketchum III, William E. (January 25, 2013). "Flint Institute of Music, St. Cecilia's Society prep 42nd Annual William C. Byrd Young Artist Competition". Flint Journal. MLive Media Group. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  5. Spurgeon, Alan L. “The Community Music Association in Flint, Michigan, 1917-1920.” The Bulletin of Historical Research in Music Education, vol. 16, no. 1, 1994, pp. 29–42. JSTOR
  6. 1 2 Atkinson, Scott (August 20, 2013). "Flint Institute of Music holding auditions for various youth groups". Flint Journal. MLive Media Group. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  7. "Meet Rodney Lontine President and CEO Flint Institute of Music". My City Mag. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
  8. 1 2 3 Terrell, Ashley G. (May 6, 2015). "Flint Institute of Music presents 2015 Jazz Series and Chamber Music Series". Flint Journal. MLive Media Group. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  9. 1 2 Gagnon, Ben (August 30, 2018). "Flint Youth Theatre expands, becomes Flint Repertory Theatre". The Flushing View. View Newspapers. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  10. Ketchum III, William E. (February 14, 2013). "Flint Institute of Music to host Black Classical Music Family Festival". Flint Journal. MLive Media Group. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  11. Atkinson, Scott (October 4, 2012). "Students to compete for solo spots at Flint Institute of Music". Flint Journal. MLive Media Group. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
Affiliated organizations