One of the first podcasts we ever released for WMYA.FM featured an interview with Midwest Young Artists Music Director Allan Dennis. It has been quite some time since this interview graced the front page of WMYA.FM, and folks who haven’t heard this excellent interview with Dr. Dennis. In this interview, Allan describes the history of MYA, its move into the current facility at Fort Sheridan, future plans for the organization, and much more. Enjoy!

Click to Listen

About Dr. Dennis

Dr. Allan Dennis brings a rich heritage of experience and energy to the Midwest Young Artists programs, with over a quarter century of experience motivating, rehearsing and teaching young people. He is currently the Music Director of the Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra. Former youth orchestra conducting positions have included the American Suzuki Institute in Stevens Point, WI, the North Shore Youth Orchestra, the Northern Iowa Youth Orchestra, and many all-state and festival orchestras. Former professional orchestra conducting positions include associations with the Cedar Rapids Symphony, the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, and the Albany Symphony. He has conducted and taught at the University of Evansville, The University of Northern Iowa, the University of Southwestern Louisiana, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Skidmore College. As well as conducting symphonic literature, he has conducted shows, operas and ballets. In addition, he was chosen as both an Active Conductor at the Festival at Sandpoint and a Fellow at the Conductors’ Institute in South Carolina. During the summer of 1995, he participated in the conducting program at the Tanglewood Institute in Lennox, MA. His conducting teachers have included Gunther Schuller, Harold Farbermann, and David Effron.

Dr. Dennis is also a versatile and accomplished string player who has performed extensively both as a soloist and orchestra member. He has performed as the principal or co-principal bassist with the Albany Symphony, Cedar Rapids Symphony and Madison Symphony. He has also conducted and/or performed with many non-classical artists including Bob Hope, Liberace, John Denver and Red Skelton.

Dr. Dennis received his doctorate, with distinction, from Indiana University in Bloomington, and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the State University of New York at Fredonia. He has studied at the Eastman School of Music and at the Royal Flemish Conservatory of Music in Antwerp, Belgium.

Stay tuned for more multimedia content each and every week from Midwest Young Artists!

We interviewed Voices Rising director Gary Fry for WMYA.FM on episode four of the podcast. It’s been a while since that episode aired–here it is again for your enjoyment:

Click to Listen to the Gary Fry Interview (right-click to download)

This week’s episode of WMYA features an interview with Midwest Young Artists faculty member Gary Fry. Gary is the director of choral activities for MYA, and his ensemble Voices Rising recently returned from a performance at the United Nations. Getting a chance to be involved with a trip like this was a wonderful opportunity for this ensemble of middle school vocalists, and we discuss details from this trip, the formation of Voices Rising, and what’s in store for this ensemble in the future. After the interview, we feature recordings of the three pieces this group performed at the United Nations.

About Gary Fry:

Composer, conductor, and music educator Gary Fry brings a broad base of experience and expertise to Midwest Young Artists. As music director of the acclaimed children’s vocal ensemble EagleSong from the Sunset Ridge School in Northfield, Mr. Fry has developed a high-quality program that has taken his young singers to some of the most prestigious venues in America, including the White House (three invitations), the United Nations, and choral festivals across the country.

conducted vocal ensembles and taught classes in music theory and composition. He is also much in demand as a clinician and adjudicator for high school and college choral festivals and competitions. His unique career as a composer spans both serious concert music and commercial music. He is equally at home composing for the renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra (over 35 commissions) or television advertisements for companies such as McDonald’s and Kellogg’s. One might hear Mr. Fry’s music performed by the Boston Pops, the Dallas Symphony, or the Colorado Symphony, or find it every day on the Cartoon Network program “Baby Looney Tunes.” Travelers hearMr. Fry is a former faculty member of the University of Miami (Florida) and Northwestern University, where he his work in the pedestrian passageway at the O’Hare Airport United Airlines terminal and at exhibits in Sea World in Orlando. His recent settings of Shakespeare for the Chicago Symphony Singers and music for poetry by Carl Sandburg and Thomas Hornsby Ferril for the Colorado Children’s Chorale have received enthusiastic reviews.

Mr. Fry and his wife Carol have four children and live in Northfield, where they often open their home–including Mr. Fry’s professional recording studio–to the children of the community for music-making and recording projects.

Learn more about Gary Fry and Voices Rising at www.mya.org, and stay tuned for more great content each and every week from WMYA!

One of the first podcasts we ever released for WMYA.FM featured an interview with Midwest Young Artists Music Director Allan Dennis. It has been quite some time since this interview graced the front page of WMYA.FM, and folks who haven’t heard this excellent interview with Dr. Dennis. In this interview, Allan describes the history of MYA, its move into the current facility at Fort Sheridan, future plans for the organization, and much more. Enjoy!

About Dr. Dennis

Dr. Allan Dennis brings a rich heritage of experience and energy to the Midwest Young Artists programs, with over a quarter century of experience motivating, rehearsing and teaching young people. He is currently the Music Director of the Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra. Former youth orchestra conducting positions have included the American Suzuki Institute in Stevens Point, WI, the North Shore Youth Orchestra, the Northern Iowa Youth Orchestra, and many all-state and festival orchestras. Former professional orchestra conducting positions include associations with the Cedar Rapids Symphony, the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, and the Albany Symphony. He has conducted and taught at the University of Evansville, The University of Northern Iowa, the University of Southwestern Louisiana, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Skidmore College. As well as conducting symphonic literature, he has conducted shows, operas and ballets. In addition, he was chosen as both an Active Conductor at the Festival at Sandpoint and a Fellow at the Conductors’ Institute in South Carolina. During the summer of 1995, he participated in the conducting program at the Tanglewood Institute in Lennox, MA. His conducting teachers have included Gunther Schuller, Harold Farbermann, and David Effron.

Dr. Dennis is also a versatile and accomplished string player who has performed extensively both as a soloist and orchestra member. He has performed as the principal or co-principal bassist with the Albany Symphony, Cedar Rapids Symphony and Madison Symphony. He has also conducted and/or performed with many non-classical artists including Bob Hope, Liberace, John Denver and Red Skelton.

Dr. Dennis received his doctorate, with distinction, from Indiana University in Bloomington, and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the State University of New York at Fredonia. He has studied at the Eastman School of Music and at the Royal Flemish Conservatory of Music in Antwerp, Belgium.

Stay tuned for more multimedia content each and every week from Midwest Young Artists!

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The N-E-W trio recently visited MYA to perform a chamber music concert and give a master class for students. Hailed by the Washington Post as a “polished” and “ravishing” piano trio, the N-E-W Trio has emerged as one of the nation’s most promising young ensembles after winning the grand prizes at the 2008 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the 2007 Coleman National Chamber Ensemble Competition, and the first prize and audience choice award at the 2007 Plowman National Chamber Music Competition. As the Grand Prize winner of the Fischoff Competition, the N-E-W Trio will present concerts and master classes in Illinois, Michigan and Indiana in the fall of 2008 and will perform at the Emilia Romagna Festival in Italy in the summer of 2009.

Visit them online at www.newtrio.com.

Members:

• Andrew Wan, violin
• Julio Elizalde, piano
• Gal Nyska, cello

Tracks featured:

• Leon Kirchner – Piano Trio No.1 (1954) – Movement 1
• Maurice Ravel – Piano Trio – IV – Finale: Anime
• Franz Schubert – Piano Trio in No.2 in E-Flat Major, D. 929 – II – Andante con moto
• Solomon Rosowsky – Fantastic Dance, Op. 6

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We’re featuring an interview today with Northwestern University trumpet professor Barbara Butler. Barbara has had an illustrious career as both a performer and teacher, performing with ensembles like the Grant Park Symphony and Chicago Symphony and serving as trumpet professor at the Eastman School of Music prior to her appointment at Northwestern.

In this interview, Barbara discusses her early years on the instrument, her performing career, experiences with the Midwest Young Artists program, and advice for younger musicians interested in pursuing a career in music. We also feature Barbara Butler and Charles Geyer with the MYA Early Music Ensemble performing the third movement from the Concerto for Two Trumpets by Antonio Vivaldi. Enjoy!

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