Long Island Philharmonic
Encyclopedia
Melville, New York
Melville is a hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Huntington in Suffolk County on Long Island, New York, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, 14,533 people resided there.-Location:...
was founded in 1979
1979 in music
See also:Record labels established in 1979* 1979 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.-January–February:*January 1...
by folk singer
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
Harry Chapin
Harry Chapin
Harry Forster Chapin was an American singer-songwriter best known in particular for his folk rock songs including "Taxi", "W*O*L*D", and the number-one hit "Cat's in the Cradle". Chapin was also a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger; he was a key player in the creation of the...
, Maestro
Maestro
Maestro is a title of extreme respect given to a master musician. The term is most commonly used in the context of Western classical music and opera. This is associated with the ubiquitous use of Italian vocabulary for classical music terms...
Christopher Keene
Christopher Keene
Christopher Keene was an American conductor.Born in Berkeley, California, Keene studied at the University of California, Berkeley. Associated with the Spoleto Festival from 1968 , he was co-founder of the Spoleto Festival USA, where he was Music Director from 1977 to 1980...
, and a group of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
's major community and business leaders. It strives to provide quality music to the Long Island community, with a particular focus on programs for young people.
Founding
Harry Chapin moved to Long Island in 1972, and almost at once began using his celebrity status to improve his new hometown. "He thought Long Island represented a remarkable opportunity," said Chapin's widow, Sandy. At his encouragement, a group of Long Island business leaders agreed to fund the formation of the Orchestra, under the musical directorship of Maestro Keene, with Chapin serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors. The LIP’s premiere concert occurred on the weekend of November 16, 17, and 18th, 1979. From its foundings, the orchestra recruited some of the finest musicians in the New York metropolitan area, and also supported a full chorus of dedicated amateur singers.The Keene Years
Maestro Keene was a proponent of new works, and brought in soloists of international reputation. Under his direction, the Philharmonic commissioned and premiered several works, including Jay Reise’s Symphony No. 3 “Awakening to Memory”.The Alsop Years
After Maestro Keene's departure, a nation-wide search was conducted to find his replacement. Marin Alsop was selected based on having recently won both the Stokowski Conducting Competition and the Koussevitzky Conducting Prize. The Philharmonic hoped that her youth and exuberance would rejuvenate the orchestra. Under her baton, the orchestra thrived financially and musically.Recent History
In 2004, celebrating its 25th anniversary, the orchestra nearly disappeared altogether. The final two concerts of the 2003/2004 concert series had to be canceled due to funding shortages. Governmental support has been provided by Sen. Hillary Clinton and State Senator Carl MarcellinoCarl Marcellino
Carl L. Marcellino is a member of the New York State Senate. He represents the 5th Senate District which comprises parts of Nassau and Suffolk Counties in Long Island. Marcellino is a Republican who was first elected to the Senate in a special election in March 1995, following the resignation of...
, having delivered grants at both the federal and state level. UBS made a generous 5-year challenge grant of $250,000, which was matched by individual donors such as Charles Dolan
Charles Dolan
Charles F. Dolan is an American billionaire and founder of Cablevision and HBO.-Biography:A John Carroll University drop out, Dolan is married and has six children, including Cablevision Systems Corporation and Madison Square Garden, Inc. chairman James L. Dolan.The Charles F...
, David Lerner, Marvin Sussman, and Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
.
The Long Island Philharmonic maintains an extensive Arts in Education program, entitled "Music LIvz". Among the programs the Philharmonic offers are Youth Concerts, In-school performances, Master Classes, the Young Artist Competition, and Orchestra at Work.
Community Acceptance
The Long Island Philharmonic suffers from its proximity to the cultural attractions of New York City. The geography of Long Island itself also poses a problem for the orchestra. Because of the distances between East End suburbs and western exurb neighborhoods, the Long Island Philharmonic generally performs each concert at two or three venues, most notably the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts at CW Post campus of Long Island University and the Staller Center for the ArtsStaller Center
The Staller Center for the Arts is the main arts building at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Originally called the fine arts center, it was renamed after a $2 million donation by the Staller family, including former Old Field Mayor Cary F. Staller, who own commercial real estate on...
at the Stony Brook University, a campus of the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
.
Long Island Philharmonic Chorus
From its beginning, the Long Island Philharmonic has incorporated a choral element. At the time of its founding in 1979, Maestro Keene asked Frances Roberts, a local music teacher and accomplished vocal accompanist, to form a chorus. From that beginning, the Chorus has been a regular part of the Long Island Philharmonic ever since.The chorus consists of 100 – 150 amateur singers drawn from all walks of life. Many are musical professionals: music teachers, voice teachers and others, while many others are strictly amateurs. Despite this mix, the chorus regularly receives critical acclaim.
The orchestra generally schedules at least one choral piece each year in its repertory.
Legacy
The Long Island Philharmonic orchestra is seen by many as a beginning step toward great careers. Maestro Keene left the LIP to become the music directory of the New York City OperaNew York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
. Maestra Alsop has gone on to become one of the premiere female conductors in the world, leading both the Bournemouth Symphony and, most recently, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a professional American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland.In September 2007, Maestra Marin Alsop led her inaugural concerts as the Orchestra’s twelfth music director, making her the first woman to head a major American orchestra.The BSO Board...
, thus becoming the first female full-time conductor of a major US orchestra.
List of Conductors / Music Directors
- Christopher KeeneChristopher KeeneChristopher Keene was an American conductor.Born in Berkeley, California, Keene studied at the University of California, Berkeley. Associated with the Spoleto Festival from 1968 , he was co-founder of the Spoleto Festival USA, where he was Music Director from 1977 to 1980...
, Founding Director, 1979 – 1989 - Marin AlsopMarin AlsopMarin Alsop is an American conductor and violinist. She is the music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.In 2012, Alsop will replace Yan Pascal Tortelier as principal conductor of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra....
, 1990 – 1995 - David LockingtonDavid LockingtonDavid Lockington is currently the music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony, a regional orchestra located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.. Lockington assumed this position in January 1999...
, 1996 – 2000 - David Wiley, 2001 - Present
Awards and honors
- Recognized by New York State as a Primary Arts Organization
- The Long Island Philharmonic was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of FameLong Island Music Hall of FameThe Long Island Music Hall of Fame is an organization whose office is located in Port Jefferson, New York. It was incorporated in July 2005 under the New York State Board of Regents as a non profit organization and holds a provisional charter to operate as a museum in the state of New York...
on October 15, 2006.