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The Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra Celebrates 25 Years with Maestro Kirk Muspratt Munster, IN – The Northwest Indiana start performing in a sheep barn Symphony Orchestra is launching in Newton County, I thank you its 84th season with a milestone for welcoming this Canadian celebration: Maestro Kirk Muspratt’s musician into your lives, and 25th year leading the Symphony. I hope that I have contributed Maestro Muspratt’s first official something of quality, beauty, and concert with the Symphony, following joy to yours.” his debut two years earlier during Over the past 24 seasons, a conductor search, took place in Muspratt has introduced several a sheep barn as part of an outdoor beloved initiatives. These include summer concert series. Reflecting on a children’s solo competition, that early performance, he recalled, “It which regularly features young was a blast. The audience was really performers in Symphony concerts, warm and the orchestra played really and the founding of the South terrifically.” Since then, Muspratt has Shore Summer Music Festival conducted both full regular seasons bringing free symphonic music to and free summer concerts every year communities across the region. of his tenure. To further engage audiences, he His musical journey began in introduced the Just Ask Kirk™ Crowsnest Pass, a small mining question cards, Cookies with Kirk town in Alberta, Canada, with post-concert receptions, and the a population of just 2,000. Like whimsical Kirkature™ cartoon Photo of Kirk Muspratt by Edda Taylor Photographie _____________________________________________ most children in the town, he was series all built around his belief introduced to music early. After high that symphonic music should be school he was accepted at Julliard for everyone. School. He later studied piano in St. Louis and New York “For 25 wonderful years, Maestro Kirk Muspratt has with Harold Zabrack before studying in the bachelor’s and worked tirelessly to bring his vast array of musical talent master’s programs at Temple University under Adele Marcus to the thousands of faithful symphony fans throughout the and Alexander Fiorillo. Muspratt first became interested in Region,” said Dave Ryan, President of the Symphony Board conducting as a new form of artistic expression. “Then you of Directors. “We are blessed to have this former hockey find you have a real knack for it, and you really like it,” he said. player directing our professional symphony orchestra, and He went on to study conducting at the Vienna Conservatory we eagerly await the next 25 years!” of Music. He held conducting roles in Germany, St. Louis, Muspratt’s contributions have been widely recognized. Utah, and Pittsburgh under the renowned Lorin Maazel, He received the 2020 Programming of the Year and 2018 and had a summer apprenticeship with Leonard Bernstein at Conductor of the Year awards from the Illinois Council of Tanglewood. Orchestras, and was named “Chicagoan of the Year” in “Northwest Indiana has been my artistic home for the classical music by the Chicago Tribune’s John von Rhein past 25 seasons,” said Maestro Muspratt. “From my humble and staff. In addition to his role in Northwest Indiana, Muspratt serves as Music Director of the New Philharmonic in DuPage, Illinois, and as Artistic Director of the New Philharmonic Opera Theatre. He is also an active guest conductor, educator, and competition judge across Chicagoland. He became a citizen of the United States in November 2010. This spring, the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, awarded him an honorary Doctor of Letters during its Spring Convocation. “Kirk Muspratt is remarkable for his unwavering commitment to make classical music accessible and enjoyable for all people,” said ULethbridge Chancellor Terry Whitehead (BA ‘94). “His unique approach breaks barriers and invites people, especially younger audiences, into the classical world, entertaining and educating all at once. He is richly deserving of an honorary degree.” To mark the 25th anniversary season, the Northwest Indiana Symphony will open with an Italian-themed concert featuring some of Muspratt’s favorite works. Later in the year, he will host a special Sunday afternoon Spotlight Series event, sharing humorous and heartfelt stories about his life—from his roots in small-town Canada to his global musical adventures. Tickets for the upcoming season can be purchased at nisorchestra.org. The celebration began earlier this year with a special party on May 1, featuring performances by longtime Symphony musicians and guest vocalists. The evening also included the unveiling of a new South Shore Line travel poster by artist John Rush, sponsored by Mechanical Concepts, Inc. Part of the Along the South Shore Line series, the poster celebrates Maestro Muspratt and the Symphony and will be featured in the new season’s marketing. These iconic poster designs, inspired by vintage posters originally displayed in train stations, continue to promote Northwest Indiana’s cultural destinations with a nostalgic charm. The poster The new South Shore Line travel poster by artist John Rush, sponsored by can be purchased through South Shore Arts Gift Shop at Mechanical Concepts, Inc., celebrating Maestro Muspratt and the Symphony _____________________________________________ southshoreartsonline.org/posters.
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