From Minneapolis to Maine and Pennsylvania, Carmel Symphony Orchestra Artistic Director Janna Hymes will be working with three institutions of higher education to share her vast experience and knowledge of the world of symphonies and orchestras – particularly from the viewpoint of a woman who directs one of the best symphony programs in America.
Hymes
Hymes has been invited by the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, to participate in a research study on the opinions and behaviors in orchestral programming and diversity at the University of Minnesota.
She will also be working with the University of Southern Maine on inspiration leadership and Susquehanna University’s celebration of Florence Price, the first black female composer to have a symphony performed by a major American orchestra.
Hymes has been sought out for such prestigious work, in part, due to her involvement and notoriety in the League of American Orchestras and her brilliant work with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra at the Palladium in Carmel. Given the rarity of female music directors in the orchestra field, these institutes felt it crucial for their works.
“I am delighted to participate in these studies and events,” Hymes said. “My experience in programming orchestral concerts has led me to meet a wide mix of artists and learn a variety of styles of music. I am happy to be part of such important projects which will demonstrate how music can create an environment of equality, safety and open-mindedness.”
At the University of Minnesota, Hymes will be interviewed as part of an overall assessment of data that will be used to understand the current trends and practices in concert programming and its effectiveness in promoting equity, diversity and inclusivity, broadly defined.
At the University of Southern Maine in Portland, Hymes will participate in research exploring the most effective practices, communication styles and behaviors that enable orchestra conductors to lead a team of music professionals toward a common vision and a successful performance.
And at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa., organizers reached out to Hymes with an offer to be on their panel focusing on Florence Price, the first black female composer to have a symphony performed by a major American orchestra. Hymes is a conductor of Price’s music and an advocate for her place in history.
“In 1933, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra premiered the Symphony in E Minor of Florence Price,” Hymes said. “This was the first time a composition by a black female composer was performed by a major orchestra. These two firsts are what propelled me to champion the music of Florence Price and share her music with audiences and colleagues. Her music is melancholic, folksy, even jazzy at times and completely American. Florence Price was able to combine classical elements such as balance and commitment to melody, with a new language of her own. I am honored to be part of a panel discussion on Florence Price and her music, held by the Music Department of Susquehanna University.”
Hymes will be a member of a conductor’s panel for the (digital) Florence Price festival this summer.
Visit carmelsymphony.org for more information.