GENERATION NEXT

A visionary artist, activist, and educator, Midori was born in Osaka in 1971 and began studying violin with her mother, Setsu Goto, at a very early age. She was a protégé unlike any other, making her debut at the New York Philharmonic at age 11 and going on to perform with such world-renowned luminaries as Leonard Bernstein and Yo-Yo Ma in the four decades to follow.

As the esteemed violinist steps into her new role as Artistic Director of the Ravinia Steans Music Institute’s (RSMI) Piano & Strings program this summer, she reflects on what those early experiences meant to her and what it means to be leading the next generation of string players and pianists.

“Working with young musicians has been central to my career, and this program is one of the most important of its kind in the music field,” says Midori, who plays the 1734 Guarnerius del Gesù ‘ex-Huberman’ and uses four bows—two by Dominique Peccatte, one by François Peccatte, and one by Paul Siefried. “In my initial conversations when I was being considered for the position, I expressed my strong desire to have access to young musicians. It is one of the most exciting and rewarding ways to participate in the building of a future.”

RSMI is an international artist development program for young professional classical pianists and string players, classical singers, and jazz musicians who are devoted to honing and advancing their talents as collaborative artists. Musicians in the program perform roughly two dozen programs during the summer season. All concerts are open to the public and are a mix of free and ticketed events. Most performances are also live-streamed or later uploaded to Ravinia’s YouTube channel.

The Piano & Strings program concentrates on interpretation and small-group collaboration through the practice and performance of classical sonata and chamber repertoire. Midori’s Piano & Strings Fellows will be featured this summer across three masterclasses and 10 concerts during an intensive fiveweek RSMI residency at Bennett Gordon Hall.

Masterclasses and concerts began July 3 and will continue tomorrow, Sunday, July 7, and then again on July 11-14; July 19-21; and July 23-24. All events will be live-streamed with the exception of the July 13 and 23 concerts, which are curated by faculty members and pianists Ricardo Castro and Julian Martin—themed around the music of Maurice Ravel and legendary French composer Gabriel Fauré.

“We have an exciting array of repertoire ranging from Scarlatti to Juantio Becenti. There is a wonderful mixture of the classics and the newly-discovered and still-to-be-entering the mainstream canon,” says Midori. “Certain members of the faculty, including me, will be sharing the stage of Bennett Gordon Hall with Fellows as we tackle such beloved artists as Brahms, Schumann, Ravel, and Debussy as well as traditionally lesspresented- works such as Reynaldo Hahn, Rebecca Clarke, Gyorgy Ligeti, and Erwin Schulhoff.”

Midori says it is an honor to follow in the footsteps of acclaimed violinist Miriam Fried, who had led the program since 1994 and was instrumental in bringing it to national prominence.

“The highest caliber of artistry you are getting in this program is a testament to her success and vision,” she adds. “She is a great leader, and a part of what that means is that she was never afraid of making necessary changes. Following in her footsteps, I, too, hope to continue in this path of continuing to meet the challenges of the needing and instigating changes, as inspired by the here and now.”

Since opening its doors, RSMI has offered coaching, masterclasses, and performance opportunities to over 1,600 exceptional musicians, many of whom have cultivated highly visible and successful careers in performance, artistic leadership, and music education. As Artistic Director of the Piano & Strings program, Midori will lead young professional violinists, violists, cellists, pianists, and members of pre-existing chamber groups through immersive and intensive rehearsals and coaching with a rotating roster of some of the world’s finest teaching artists, including herself.

“Giving these young artists the opportunity to learn together, from each other, and with the guidance of the faculty, as intense and exciting as it may come off to an observer, makes this place very unique and invaluable,” explains Midori. “They are forging friendships and making important connections for the future.”

She hopes to find new ways of engaging and advancing these students who see their experience at Ravinia as a critical part of their professional music careers as performers, educators, and artistic leaders.

“Midori’s renowned artistry and commitment to music education make her an excellent choice to lead the Piano & Strings Program,” says RSMI Director Alejandra Valarino Boyer. “Her experiences as a performer, educator, and arts advocate will build on the legacy established by Miriam Fried to guide and mentor the next wave of classical musicians.”

For more information about the Ravinia Steans Music Institute, visit ravinia.org/steans.