Minnesota Sinfonia
Encyclopedia
Minnesota Sinfonia is a professional non-profit orchestra whose mission is to serve the musical and educational needs of the citizens of Minnesota
, especially families with children, inner-city youth, seniors and those with limited financial means. The Sinfonia plays concerts for over 25,000 people each year, and is the only professional orchestra
of its kind, offering all concerts free of charge, welcoming children to every performance, and dedicating over half its services to inner-city schools. Founded in 1989 by Artistic Director Jay Fishman, the Minnesota Sinfonia is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization supported by corporate, foundation and individual contributors.
works with up to 12,000 elementary students and helps them learn core subjects in exciting new ways–through music! Music in the School s is designed specifically for public elementary students of Minneapolis and St. Paul’s diverse population with limited in-school arts opportunities. MIS uses classical music to excite students about math, history, science, social studies and literature, while providing a much-needed part of their arts education.
Each MIS program starts with a three-month curriculum
, co-developed by the Sinfonia and local teachers. The curriculum
combines classical music excerpts with academic concepts drawn from Minnesota state education standards, and focuses on a different subject each year.
Past programs include History as Seen Through Music, which used Aaron Copland
’s A Lincoln Portrait to introduce President Abraham Lincoln
, his speeches and his role in the Civil War
. The Magical Mysteries of Math & Music used Joseph Haydn
’s “Surprise” Symphony and other well-known classical works to help explain a variety of mathematical concepts. The 2009-2010 program, Music From Other Lands, presented classical music derived from folk songs to help students explore the peoples and cultures of the world while reinforcing state-mandated vocabulary and map-reading skills.
The culmination of each Music in the Schools program is ‘Sinfona Day’ — a visit from the entire Minnesota Sinfonia to each participating school. As part of the festivities, classrooms host visits from orchestra
musicians, who interact with the students and share their own stories and experience. Following these get-togethers, everyone gathers in the gym
nasium for a fun, interactive concert highlighting the music and classroom activities from the preceding weeks As part of the concerts, school choirs and orchestras perform with the Sinfonia in front of their peers, parents and community members, all to rousing cheers from their friends and fellow classmates.
. In 1989, he created the Minnesota Sinfonia, a professional chamber orchestra
whose mission was to serve families, children, inner-city youth, seniors, and those with limited incomes.
Early on, the Sinfonia developed policies of free admission and children welcome to all performances. The Sinfonia was the first, and is still the only professional orchestra
in the state to have such policies. As a result, Sinfonia concerts consistently attract large audiences of first-time concertgoers, families with young children and people from all walks of life.
As one of three professional orchestras in the Twin Cities, the Sinfonia is the only one to offer all concerts free of admission charges, to perform in accessible neighborhood locations year-round and to welcome children to every performance. The Sinfonia is dedicated to community service and education. Each year, the Sinfonia performs more free, in-school concerts than any professional orchestra in the state, allocating over 30 percent of its budget and half its concerts to educational programs. Our guiding values are quality, accessibility and education.
, North Dakota
, South Dakota
, Iowa
and Wisconsin
, who compete in a friendly environment. Both the junior and senior division winners are awarded solo appearances with the Sinfonia, and the senior division winner also receives a $500 cash prize. The competition is held at the University of St. Thomas campus in St. Paul.
Jay earned a bachelor of science in music education and bachelor of arts in music composition from the University of Minnesota
in 1969. In 1974, he earned a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from the Indiana University
School of Music. Also in 1974, he was a finalist in the Fulbright-Hayes Conducting Fellowship. From 1974 to 1976, Jay served as music director and conductor for the Louisville Chamber Orchestra. He then traveled to London
, where he worked with Sir Neville Mariner of the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields Chamber Orchestra. While in London
, he also recorded for BBC Radio
.
In 1978, Jay Fishman returned to the United States
and for 11 years served as the music director of the Minneapolis Chamber Symphony (MCS), which he founded. Under his leadership, the MCS received local, regional and national accolades, including the Award for Excellence from the McKnight Foundation
and ongoing support from the National Endowment for the Arts
.
In 1989, Jay founded the Minnesota Sinfonia and took on the role of executive and artistic director. To date, he has conducted over 1,300 performances, and introduced classical music to 150,000 inner-city elementary students. In 2008, he led a symposium on use of the professional orchestra in music education for the Arts Midwest Regional Conference, and spoke on the same subject to the Association of Wisconsin Orchestras in May 2010.
Julia Persitz (concertmistress), Helen Foli , Natalia Moiseeva , Orieta Dado , Susan Crawford
Violin II
Mary Sorlie (principal second ), Alastair Brown Inger Dahlin , Elizabeth Decker
Viola
Elizabeth Cregan (principal ), Nanette Goldman, Laurel Browne
Celli
Camilla Heller (principal), William Goldman , Faith Farr , Diane Tremaine
Bass
Jennifer Rubin, Susan Allard
Flute
JoAnne Bartlett
Oboes
Stanley King (principal ), Merilee Klemp
Clarinet
Karrin Meffert-Nelson
Bassoon
Laurie Merz
French Horns
Lawrence Barnhart (principal ), Charles Hodgson
Trumpet
Chris Volpe
Percussion
Kory Andry
Singer/Storyteller
Kathleen Hardy
Vice Chairperson Grant Fairbairn, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
Treasurer Lori Carlson-Pryzbyiski, RBC Capital Markets
Secretary Evelyn Rolloff, Metropolitan State University
Manager - Raphael Fishman
Marketing & Development - Emily Matejcek
Winter:
The Basilica,
Metro State University,
The University of Minnesota,
Temple Israel,
First Covenant Church.
Summer:
Como Park,
Lake Harriet Bandshell,
Lake Phalen Regional Park,
Caponi Art Park,
Minnesota Zoo,
Coon Rapids Regional Dam Park,
Roseville Central Park,
Camp Courage,
John A. Johnson Elementary School,
Farwell Park,
North Commons Park.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, especially families with children, inner-city youth, seniors and those with limited financial means. The Sinfonia plays concerts for over 25,000 people each year, and is the only professional orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
of its kind, offering all concerts free of charge, welcoming children to every performance, and dedicating over half its services to inner-city schools. Founded in 1989 by Artistic Director Jay Fishman, the Minnesota Sinfonia is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization supported by corporate, foundation and individual contributors.
Music in the schools
Music in the Schools (MIS) is the Sinfonia’s inner-city education program. Every year, the orchestraOrchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
works with up to 12,000 elementary students and helps them learn core subjects in exciting new ways–through music! Music in the School s is designed specifically for public elementary students of Minneapolis and St. Paul’s diverse population with limited in-school arts opportunities. MIS uses classical music to excite students about math, history, science, social studies and literature, while providing a much-needed part of their arts education.
Each MIS program starts with a three-month curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
, co-developed by the Sinfonia and local teachers. The curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
combines classical music excerpts with academic concepts drawn from Minnesota state education standards, and focuses on a different subject each year.
Past programs include History as Seen Through Music, which used Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music. He was instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, and is often referred to as "the Dean of American Composers"...
’s A Lincoln Portrait to introduce President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, his speeches and his role in the Civil War
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
. The Magical Mysteries of Math & Music used Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
’s “Surprise” Symphony and other well-known classical works to help explain a variety of mathematical concepts. The 2009-2010 program, Music From Other Lands, presented classical music derived from folk songs to help students explore the peoples and cultures of the world while reinforcing state-mandated vocabulary and map-reading skills.
The culmination of each Music in the Schools program is ‘Sinfona Day’ — a visit from the entire Minnesota Sinfonia to each participating school. As part of the festivities, classrooms host visits from orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
musicians, who interact with the students and share their own stories and experience. Following these get-togethers, everyone gathers in the gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium for a fun, interactive concert highlighting the music and classroom activities from the preceding weeks As part of the concerts, school choirs and orchestras perform with the Sinfonia in front of their peers, parents and community members, all to rousing cheers from their friends and fellow classmates.
History
In the 1980s, conductor Jay Fishman had a remarkable idea. He envisioned a professional, top-quality orchestra that would dedicate its services to the underserved and low-income residents of MinnesotaMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. In 1989, he created the Minnesota Sinfonia, a professional chamber orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
whose mission was to serve families, children, inner-city youth, seniors, and those with limited incomes.
Early on, the Sinfonia developed policies of free admission and children welcome to all performances. The Sinfonia was the first, and is still the only professional orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
in the state to have such policies. As a result, Sinfonia concerts consistently attract large audiences of first-time concertgoers, families with young children and people from all walks of life.
As one of three professional orchestras in the Twin Cities, the Sinfonia is the only one to offer all concerts free of admission charges, to perform in accessible neighborhood locations year-round and to welcome children to every performance. The Sinfonia is dedicated to community service and education. Each year, the Sinfonia performs more free, in-school concerts than any professional orchestra in the state, allocating over 30 percent of its budget and half its concerts to educational programs. Our guiding values are quality, accessibility and education.
Young Artist Competition
The Young Artist Competition is an annual competition for musicians up to age 21. Held every spring, the contest attracts residents of MinnesotaMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, who compete in a friendly environment. Both the junior and senior division winners are awarded solo appearances with the Sinfonia, and the senior division winner also receives a $500 cash prize. The competition is held at the University of St. Thomas campus in St. Paul.
Artistic Director
Jay Fishman has been the artistic and executive director of the Minnesota Sinfonia since its inception in 1989. Under his leadership, the Sinfonia inaugurated its polices of free admission and welcoming children to all concerts, and created Music in the Schools, the orchestra’s education program for inner-city elementary students.Jay earned a bachelor of science in music education and bachelor of arts in music composition from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1969. In 1974, he earned a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from the Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
School of Music. Also in 1974, he was a finalist in the Fulbright-Hayes Conducting Fellowship. From 1974 to 1976, Jay served as music director and conductor for the Louisville Chamber Orchestra. He then traveled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he worked with Sir Neville Mariner of the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields Chamber Orchestra. While in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he also recorded for BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
.
In 1978, Jay Fishman returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and for 11 years served as the music director of the Minneapolis Chamber Symphony (MCS), which he founded. Under his leadership, the MCS received local, regional and national accolades, including the Award for Excellence from the McKnight Foundation
McKnight Foundation
The McKnight Foundation is a philanthropic organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States. The foundation's interests lie in the environment, the arts, community development, and other areas....
and ongoing support from the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
.
In 1989, Jay founded the Minnesota Sinfonia and took on the role of executive and artistic director. To date, he has conducted over 1,300 performances, and introduced classical music to 150,000 inner-city elementary students. In 2008, he led a symposium on use of the professional orchestra in music education for the Arts Midwest Regional Conference, and spoke on the same subject to the Association of Wisconsin Orchestras in May 2010.
Musicians
Violin IJulia Persitz (concertmistress), Helen Foli , Natalia Moiseeva , Orieta Dado , Susan Crawford
Violin II
Mary Sorlie (principal second ), Alastair Brown Inger Dahlin , Elizabeth Decker
Viola
Elizabeth Cregan (principal ), Nanette Goldman, Laurel Browne
Celli
Camilla Heller (principal), William Goldman , Faith Farr , Diane Tremaine
Bass
Jennifer Rubin, Susan Allard
Flute
JoAnne Bartlett
Oboes
Stanley King (principal ), Merilee Klemp
Clarinet
Karrin Meffert-Nelson
Bassoon
Laurie Merz
French Horns
Lawrence Barnhart (principal ), Charles Hodgson
Trumpet
Chris Volpe
Percussion
Kory Andry
Singer/Storyteller
Kathleen Hardy
Officers
Chairperson Mary Weber, CSM CorporationVice Chairperson Grant Fairbairn, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
Treasurer Lori Carlson-Pryzbyiski, RBC Capital Markets
Secretary Evelyn Rolloff, Metropolitan State University
Directors
- Imanol Arevalo, General Mills
- Jay Fishman, Minnesota Sinfonia
- David Haynes, Leonard, Street & Deinard
- Shannon Hovey, MotivAction
- Dorothy Jacobs, Retired Musician
- Mira LaCous, Hollywood Pyrotechnics, Inc
- Tony Mayhew, RBC Capital Markets
- Laurie Merz, Minnesota Sinfonia
- Timothy Puffer, Development Resources
Executive List
Artistic/Executive Director - Jay FishmanManager - Raphael Fishman
Marketing & Development - Emily Matejcek
Venues
The Minnesota Sinfonia has played at the following venues:Winter:
The Basilica,
Metro State University,
The University of Minnesota,
Temple Israel,
First Covenant Church.
Summer:
Como Park,
Lake Harriet Bandshell,
Lake Phalen Regional Park,
Caponi Art Park,
Minnesota Zoo,
Coon Rapids Regional Dam Park,
Roseville Central Park,
Camp Courage,
John A. Johnson Elementary School,
Farwell Park,
North Commons Park.