Internationally acclaimed violinist Midori is the Eugene Symphony’s guest artist in April! She appears with the Eugene Symphony on April 26th to perform Sibelius’ Violin Concerto and Dvorak’s Sixth Symphony. During her visit and as part of her Orchestra Residencies Program (http://gotomidori.com/orp/) Midori will conduct workshops and public outreach programs in Eugene.
Midori designed the Orchestra Residencies Program as “a collaborative project which provides meaningful musical experiences for the next generation of classical musicians”. The program “helps establish youth orchestras as a presence in communities and builds upon relationships with local professional symphonies, visiting artists, and administrative staff. Activities involved include master classes, performance workshops, arts advocacy visits to local legislators, meals with Q&A sessions, and discussion groups”.
Midori is described as “a complete artist who knows what she wants. Her playing has an intriguing mix of qualities. Rising scales and intricate passagework unfold with almost mystical repose…. She is recognized not only for the evolution and scope of her 29-year career as one of the most dazzlingly gifted performers before the public, but increasingly for the prescient and innovative community engagement initiatives to which she devotes a substantial amount of her energies and resources worldwide on an ongoing basis.”
She was named a Messenger of Peace by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2007. In the 2011-2012 season Midori is deepening her commitment to community engagement initiatives throughout the world while performing concerts in twelve countries on four continents. Her appearances with orchestras include Minnesota, Washington D.C., Copenhagen, London, Czechoslovakia, and many others.
Midori continually devotes time to her students at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, where she is both Jascha Heifetz Chair (violinist Jascha Heifetz is considered the greatest violinist of all time and associated with musical perfection) and Chair of the Strings Department. In addition she supports the four community engagement programs she founded in the U.S. and Japan:
• Midori & Friends
• Partners in Performance
• Orchestra Residencies Program
• Music Sharing
Midori made her first recording at the age of 14 when she played Bach and Vivaldi with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. In 2004, she published a memoir titled Einfach Midori (Simply Midori). She was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971 and began studying the violin with her mother, Setsu Goto, at an early age. Midori lives in Los Angeles.