Rachel Barton Pine, Lipman Perform for Music Institute Academy's 10th Anniversary Celebration

The Music Institute of Chicago continues the 10th anniversary celebration of its Academy program, which has educated and prepared gifted pre-college musicians for professional training and music careers, with a festive concert program featuring acclaimed Music Institute alumni violinist Rachel Barton Pine and violist Matthew Lipman Saturday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston.

Pine and Lipman, joined by the Academy Orchestra, perform Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante in E Flat for Violin and Viola, K. 364, led by Academy conductor Roland Vamos. The Orchestra also performs Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 and Arvo Pärt's short work Fratres, both conducted by Academy Director James Setapen.

During the past 10 years, more than 200 Academy students have matriculated to the finest conservatories and colleges in the country. Many have successful solo and chamber music careers or hold seats in major orchestras across the country. The Music Institute has invited Academy alumni to return for this special 10th Anniversary concert to acknowledge their place in the Academy's success.

Guest artists
Rachel Barton Pine is an internationally acclaimed concert violinist, recording artist, educator, and philanthropist. She has appeared as a soloist with many of the country's most prestigious symphony orchestras under the baton of renowned conductors from around the globe. Celebrated as a leading interpreter of great classical and contemporary works, her performances combine her innate gift for emotional communication and her scholarly fascination with historical research. Her prolific discography of 30 albums on major labels reflects her interest in the great classical works as well as contemporary composers and historically neglected artists. Having studied at the Music Institute with the legendary Almita and Roland Vamos, Pine is committed to encouraging the next generation to experience the transformative power of the arts. Her Rachel Barton Pine Foundation assists young artists through various projects, including the Instrument Loan Program, Grants for Education and Career, Global HeartStrings (supporting classical musicians in developing countries), and a curricular series in development in conjunction with the University of Michigan: Music by Black Composers. She is a Life Trustee of the Music Institute of Chicago, which named the "Rachel Barton Pine Violin Chair" in her honor.

Matthew Lipman is the recipient of a 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant and a resident artist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. One of the earliest alumni from the Music Institute's Academy, instructed by Roland Vamos, he has performed as a solo violist across the country. His debut recording of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante with Rachel Barton Pine, which they perform on the May 14 program, skyrocketed to #3 on the Billboard Classical Chart. He is well-known on national radio programs, including being the only violist on WFMT's list of "30 Under 30" top international classical musicians. He is a founding member of Málaga#Clásica, an electrifying new chamber music festival in Málaga, Spain.

Academy
Founded in 2006, the Music Institute of Chicago Academy quickly established itself as an elite training center for highly gifted pre-collegiate musicians. The program focuses on providing a comprehensive musical education that includes private lessons with Academy artist faculty, a rigorous chamber music component, a stimulating chamber orchestra experience, and accelerated music theory classes. Pianists additionally study keyboard history and literature, improvisation, and keyboard skills in an intimate group setting. A hallmark of the Academy is weekly master classes and enrichment offerings with some of the world's most renowned artists and educators. Vital to the program are significant performance opportunities for developing musicians. The carefully assembled faculty includes internationally recognized teachers and performers with a passion for developing young talent and an established track record of student achievement.

Music Institute of Chicago
The Music Institute of Chicago is dedicated to transforming lives through music education. Founded in 1931, the Music Institute has grown to become one of the largest and most respected community music schools in the nation. Offering musical excellence built on the strength of its distinguished faculty, commitment to quality, and breadth of programs and services, the Music Institute is a member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education and accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Pre-collegiate Arts Schools (ACCPAS). Each year, the Music Institute's teachers reach thousands of students of all ages and levels of experience. Music Institute locations include Chicago, Evanston, Winnetka, Lincolnshire, Lake Forest, and Downers Grove. In addition, the Music Institute is proud of its longstanding partnership with the Chicago Public Schools through its Arts Link program. The Music Institute offers lessons and classes, and concerts through its Community Music School, Academy, and Nichols Concert Hall.

The Music Institute of Chicago's Academy 10th Anniversary concert featuring Rachel Barton Pine and Matthew Lipman takes place Saturday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue in Evanston. Tickets are $30 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for students, available at brownpapertickets.com/event/2490397 or 847.905.1500. All programming is subject to change. For more information, visit musicinst.org.

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