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MAP: How did you hear about MidAmerica Productions?

Mike: In the 1980s I was actually scouted by a rep from MidAmerica who recommended me to Peter. I was guest conducting the Montana All State Orchestra, and received Peter's invitation when I returned to my home base of Las Vegas. About every five years since I have returned with different groups to the Hall. During that time I have passed the names of some of the nation's best directors on to MidAmerica. They too subsequently performed.

MAP: Why do you think the MidAmerica Experience is important?

Mike: MidAmerica provides the most powerful tool I know for communities to rally around a program, and to preserve and improve that program. In the 1970s, the musicians’ union artistin- residence program had a limited positive effect on school programs. After an initial boost in interest, the effect would decay after the artist left. MidAmerica provided a more powerful experience with a long-lasting effect for school music by bringing students to the great hall to perform. I have taught thousands of students over the past 40 years. One might be surprised to know how many became successful in the music field as a direct result of the Carnegie Hall experience. We are talking about Grammy winners, Broadway stars, television and movie careers, The President's Own Marine Band leader, conductors, and industry people. One cannot overhype the positive effect of the experience. MidAmerica treats the show and performers as a professional show with professional expectations. They treat the students and staffs like the pros that they are for that day. And so, the performances are over the top -- excellent.

MAP: What was the main musical experience that your performers took away from their residency in NYC, which culminated in their Carnegie Hall performance?

Mike: Having enjoyed Peter Tiboris' generosity for over 30 years, I can say without reservation, of all the professional and educational experiences I have had, performing at Carnegie Hall has no peer. I have conducted around the world in some of the world's great halls. All of those performances are memorable, but none stick out like the sound of the music soaring at Carnegie Hall where you can hear your heartbeat, and the applause sounds like waves upon the sand. All of the peripheral things that go along with the tour are terrific, the sightseeing, the boat reception, etc. But the musical experience stands on its own merit. There is no higher experience than performing in the Grand Old Lady.

MAP: As music director, what was the most memorable personal experience you took away after this residency?

Mike: As a child, growing up in New York, I never believed I would ever make it to Carnegie Hall. My teachers were the people whose pictures hang from the walls at Carnegie. They were affectionately known as "The Jewish Mafia" in New York: Bernstein, Emanual Vardi (my main teacher), Uncle Isaac and Uncle Yehudi, etc. I just thought that if you were going to play professionally you had to sound like them. Little did I know that if you reached somewhere below their stratosphere, you had a really good chance to have a great career. When Peter invited me to conduct the first time, I was already an established conductor in my own right. I was still awed by the prospect of Performing at Carnegie Hall; I have never lost that awe. So, I would like to thank Peter and all those at MidAmerica over the years for providing me with a lifetime of memories. Having my daughter Allison King join me on Father’s Day to conduct was the highlight of my career. When I grow up, I want to be as good as she is. Of course, I may age but I will never grow up, or reach her competence. It was a perfect day.

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MAP: Why do you think the MidAmerica Experience is important?

Ed: It gives students to perform on the grandest stage in the world, and to work/learn/sing with outstanding choral directors from around the country. Within the MAP structure, it gives choirs/singers that may not be of the "elite" level, to collaborate with other choirs to create a rather "elite" sounding ensemble. It also gives the outstanding choirs to give solo performances. From my experience, and in speaking with other directors and students, when the choirs return home from this experience, their confidence, levels of expectations, and skill levels have been lifted and enriched.

MAP: If you have performed previously with MidAmerica, when was that?

Ed: I initially heard about MidAmerica Productions through ChoralJournal, after which I prepared two choirs to sing in Carnegie Hall (Phoenix College and Chandler Gilbert Community College). I believe CGCC (Bruce Rogers) was with MAP and not sure who we were with for Phoenix College (Larry Kaptein).

MAP: What was the main musical experience that your performers took way from their residency in NYC which culminated in their Carnegie Hall performance?

Ed: Since our performance, I have heard and received so many wonderful comments from students and directors. The words that keep appearing are: inspiring, life-changing, educational, emotional, incredible, once-in-a lifetime experience, enriching. I have also received many comments regarding how quickly and efficiently our HUGE choir came together in such a short amount of time. The "teacher" in me likes to focus on the rehearsals and giving the students more musical/vocal tools, ideas, concepts and the "communal attitude" of working together so that what they experienced in NY, doesn't stay in NY (unlike Las Vegas 🙂 ), but they can continue to apply what they learned at home with their own choirs.

MAP: As music director, what was the most memorable personal experience you took away after this residency?

Ed: What immediately "popped" into my head was what happened at end of our final rehearsal before the dress rehearsal. I asked the students to make a big circle in our rehearsal room, close their eyes and sing one of the powerful, dramatic and "transforming" sections of the "Requiem"..."I am the resurrection and the life...." It was truly a stunning moment to observe as they sang a cappella and non-directed. I get goose bumps as I write. Other moments were in the last movement when the sopranos entered with "Lux aeterna" -- it was "what heaven sounds like". During the concert, I was looking into the eyes of the singers -- many of whom sang from memory. At the end of their performance, I had the opportunity to meet every student as they left the stage and exchange a high five, hand shake, hug, whatever. The overriding experience was to watch and hear the students from their first rehearsal to final concert work so well together, continue to grow, open up themselves and become much more vulnerable and expressive during our time together. After over 45 years of teaching I continue to be amazed, believe in the power of music and how it brings us together as singers, but even more as people.

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MAP: How did you hear about MidAmerica Productions?

Anne: I first heard about MidAmerica Productions when my choirs were invited to perform at Carnegie Hall back in 2005, when Lawrence Barnett from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota was conducting. Before then, I was not aware of MidAmerica. And the rest is history!!

MAP: Why do you think the MidAmerica Experience is important?

Anne: I believe the MidAmerica Experience gives singers an opportunity to perform in the most famous and historic concert hall in the world, singing magnificent choral repertoire under the baton of inspiring conductors. Connecting with MidAmerica affords that once in a lifetime opportunity and opens the doors to making that experience happen.

MAP: When were your previous performances with MidAmerica?

Anne: My choirs have performed with MidAmerica, singing at Carnegie Hall in 2005, 2009, 2013 and most recently, on February 18, 2017. My student choirs as well as my community chorale (comprising 140 singers) most recently sang under my direction at Carnegie performing Randall Thompson's "Frostiana," the Handel Coronation Anthems as well as the Beethoven Coronation Anthems. We were on stage the entire evening!

MAP: What was the main musical experience that your performers took away from their residency in NYC, which culminated in their Carnegie Hall performance?

Anne: I believe there are several musical experiences my singers have brought back to Minnesota after their residencies in NYC. It's exciting and fun to enjoy the sights and sounds of New York - see incredible Broadway shows, tour world famous museums and iconic institutions like Radio City Music Hall and the Empire State Building, skate in Central Park... but their eyes get opened and they get such a more in depth understanding of the magnitude of what they are doing when they have those mass rehearsals in preparation for performing their utmost best in one of the most grand concert halls in the world. The stakes are high. They need to rise to the occasion to the highest standards of performance. This is an experience they never forget. It is an opportunity that they may never have again.

MAP: As music director, what was the most memorable personal experience you took away after this residency?

Anne: After having completed 4 residencies so far with MidAmerica, including preparing my choirs to perform under other conductors, as well as conducting on the Carnegie stage myself, walking out on that golden stage, and stepping up to conduct on the podium where the most famous conductors in the world have directed some of the most famous musical groups in the world, is humbling and awesome.