Midori and the Super String Day orchestra. Photo by Julia Cheng

Past Residencies

Alaska / Duluth / Des Moines / Albuquerque / South Dakota / Vermont / Montana / Winston-Salem

Duluth, Minnesota: May 2005

The second Orchestra Residencies Program took place with the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra for five days in May 2005. Midori�s visit to Minnesota found her in a variety of educational outreach activities, all the while preparing the Beethoven Violin Concerto for the DSSO�s season finalé concert on Saturday, May 7. The pinnacle of the week was a huge youth event on Sunday, called Super String Day, during which 250 string students had the opportunity to work in-depth with Midori and DSSO musicians.

During the weekdays, Midori visited several area public schools and lent her ear to orchestra classes. The first school she visited was Lowell Elementary School, a music magnet and partner school to the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra. Lowell's programs and curricula are specially angled for students serious about pursuing music studies. Midori performed for the students, offered advice and answered questions. More school visits followed, to Morgan Park Middle School and four local public high schools. There, Midori listened to and coached the school orchestras on several pieces for upcoming concerts, including works such as Bartók's Romanian Folk Dances, Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy, and Faure's Elegy.

Other activities through the week included a visit to a nearby music conservatory as well as master classes at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, located just over the bridge from Duluth. Midori attended the youth orchestra rehearsal, joining with conductor Kevin Hoeschen to guide the group through Rimsky-Korsakov's challenging Scheherazade for an upcoming concert.

Rachel Tyman in masterclass with Midori. Photo by Jean Perrault

The DSSO's final concert of their 73rd season was a sold-out performance under the baton of conductor Markand Thakar. The concert began with a DSSO premiere of local student Brandon Nelson's Pax Aeterna, a short piece full of energetic rhythm. The Arrowhead Chorale and DSSO chorus joined the symphony for Verdi's Four Sacred Pieces to close the first half of the program. Beethoven's Violin Concerto filled the second half, with Midori as soloist, and was met with resounding applause.

The residency's main event, Super String Day, filled Midori's last day in Duluth. Funded by an NEA grant given to the DSSO specifically for ORP, the event took place in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Auditorium, and was the first chance for many of the students hailing from small towns to make music in a large group. Midori and DSSO musicians moved through the group, coaching their young collaborators through "The Lord of the Dance", Vivaldi's Double Concerto, Massenet's Mediation from Tha�E, and the rousing "Hoedown" from Aaron Copland's Rodeo. After over three hours of rehearsals, workshops and discussions, the residency's final event was a terrific performance by the students and Midori for an audience of eager parents and music teachers.