America loses an orchestra
NewsThe Iris Orchestra, founded in 2000 by Michael Stern (pictured) at the Germantown Performing Arts Center in Memphis, will give its final concert in April.
The orchestra said it ‘confronted significant financial and operational challenges.’
Among its roster of soloists were Yo Yo Ma, Yefim Bronfman, Garrick Ohlsson, Emanuel Ax, Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, and Pinchas Zukerman. Composers it commissioned included Anna Clyne, Chris Brubeck, Jonathan Leshnoff, Ned Rorem, Huang Ruo, and Edgar Meyer.
Earlier this week the League of American Orchestras said none of its members had been killed by Covid.
Excrkrbt Group. Have a few friends who were members. I can’t help but think that their location wasn’t the easiest to fundraise in. Sad to see them close up shop.
Maybe IRIS wasn’t a member of the ASOL so the record still stands.
No critically impaired ASOL orchestra, however many are limping into 2022.
Gee, ya think Yo Yo’s pissed?
Memphis isn’t exactly a hotbed of Classical music. It’s really unfortunate because they brought in great soloists and played contemporary music.
In large part, the Iris Orchestra was founded (in the suburb of Germantown) because concertgoers no longer felt comfortable going downtown to hear The Memphis Symphony, due to Memphis’ ridiculously high crime rate. No doubt this contributed to the MSO agreeing, several years ago, to a 38% cut in pay.
Ergo, the demise of the Iris Orchestra may well presage the end of the MSO.
I don’t know where Michael Stern lives or where he grew up, but I see he has the right baseball jersey put on (from my perspective). That’s a bit strange, because he’s currently the fine conductor of the Kansas City Symphony. The K.C. Royals lost the 2014 World Series to the S.F. Giants. I’m thinking this photo must have been taken prior to his landing the Kansas City gig. Otherwise, I can’t imagine the home folks would be wild seeing him wearing that. Being somewhat isolated, K.C. folks are hard core ‘homies’ when it comes to professional sports. These things matter, you know.
The SF and KC music directors made a friendly bet to conduct a piece wearing the winning team’s jersey after the World Series.
Thanks. That was an interesting idea.
some amazing performances – often exceeding any available on recordings