Midori in rehearsal with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Moni Simeonov.

Past Residencies

Quad City / Alaska / Duluth / Des Moines / Fargo-Moorhead / Albuquerque / South Dakota / Vermont / Montana / Winston-Salem / Elgin / Mobile

Quad City, IA/IL April 2011

The Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO) and the Quad City Youth Symphony Orchestra (QCYSO) partnered during a week-long residency in April of 2011 that culminated in a set of public performances and many other activities. The residency contained a wide array of events, including (among many others) a visit to the Genesis East Heart Institute in Davenport, Iowa, a masterclass at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, several visits to local elementary and middle schools, luncheons and meetings with local patrons and music educators, and much more.

One of the elements of this particular residency that set it apart was the set of culminating performances with the QCYSO on Friday, April 15, 2011. In a series of three performances, the QCYSO performed alongside Midori for sections of the Bach Double and Beethoven violin concertos. The audience for the day totaled over 5000 local students and members of the community, which is arguably the largest audience in ORP history!

For the QCSO dress rehearsal that evening, the QCSO organized a community hot dog dinner, where families enjoyed a meal at the rehearsal space, talked with Midori, and observed her working with the symphony in their final rehearsal.

On Saturday, April 16, the day began with a special Bows & Bridges event that brought together local student musicians. QCSO conductor Mark Russell Smith spent the morning working with them in a rehearsal setting before putting on a final performance for parents and other community members.

The Quad City residency was a great success, and Midori and her graduate student Moni wrote extensively about their experiences on the ORP Observations blog. For more information on the QCSO and the QCYSO, please visit their website here.