Stories at the Center

Though separated physically by self-isolation, members of the Midland Symphony Orchestra have come together to present its spring concert as a virtual experience for ticketholders and season subscribers. “While we aren’t able to come together at this time, we know that our friends and audiences are at home, missing the concert we all planned to attend this week,” said Dr. Matt Travis, Director of Choral & Orchestral Programs. The Midland Symphony Orchestra was scheduled to perform Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 on Saturday, April 18, but will now present a virtual concert featuring a repertoire of music selected by principal musicians of the orchestra.

As the Stay Home Stay Safe executive orders have been extended to late May, leaving many events and festivals uncertain of their future for the summer, Midland Center for the Arts continues its mission to connect artists with the community. A virtual art festival will now replace the annual Summer Art Fair previously hosted along the streets of Downtown Midland and feature an array of juried artists in a variety of mediums.

With over 120 youth enrolled in the Center Stage Youth Choirs at Midland Center for the Arts, the Center is working to bring art into the living rooms for local families amidst COVID-19 social distancing precautions. “In these challenging times we turn to one another for support, which is why we have created a virtual community,” said Terri Trotter, President & CEO. In order to accomplish this, the Center began a series of online video rehearsals as a direct extension of the #MakeArtVirtual initiative.

This past fall, history was made when two NASA astronauts completed the first-ever spacewalk by an all-woman team, what you could say is ‘one giant leap for mankind,’ and more importantly, womankind. These two astronauts made history only 35 years after the first woman to spacewalk, and now more than any time in our history, women are entering the workforce for careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

When we experience the traditions and lifestyles of a new culture through the worldly perspective of an artist, we open the window for further dialogue and cultural exchange. This is the purpose of the Windows on the World Series at the Midland Center for the Arts. The Center is proud to partner with the Midland Area Interfaith Friends for an evening of music and conversation with Arab-Jewish ensemble Shesh Besh on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. at the United Church of Christ, 4100 Chestnut Hill Drive, Midland, MI. The ensemble will perform several selections from both Eastern and Western repertoire, and answer questions while facilitating conversation about life in the Middle East and their goal of building bridges across religion and culture through the art of music. The event is free and open to the public.