The Technician

You’ve probably heard something about a project to install light-emitting diode (LED) lighting fixtures at the Whiting Auditorium in the effort to become more environmentally friendly, but who cares? What does the Whiting have to offer you in the first place? Along with Flint Symphony Orchestra performances, the Whiting Auditorium is home to several local music, dance, and theater groups. The Whiting has been the host of several well-known performances and celebrity appearances, such as Riverdance, Bill Cosby, Hairspray, The Temptations, STOMP, Chicago, Pat Benatar, DRUMLine Live and Itzhak Perlman. These shows and concerts unveil the true diversity of Flint’s cultural experience, and are easily accessible to Kettering University students.

 

A local student and professional organization, The Flint College Town Initiative, has developed relationships between the Flint School of Performing Arts and local colleges and universities, including Kettering University. This partnership has resulted in discounted student tickets to events at the Whiting Auditorium and other area art exhibits. Students of the participating universities pay only $5 per student for most orchestra appearances – tickets which usually have a face value of over $25. This promotion gives students a safe and fun activity on several weekends throughout their college careers. Flint Symphony Orchestra concerts are a great way to relax, unwind from the hectic Kettering schedule, and enjoy high-class performances right at our doorstep – at a bargain price.

 

The 2008-2009 Flint Symphony Orchestra concert series, Experience the Excitement of Café Paris, ended on April 25, 2009, with the guest appearance of 28-year-old violinist Anton Shelepov. Anton was the winner of the prestigious William Byrd International Young Artist Competition in 2008. Competitors from around the world travel to Flint to battle for the $6,000 First Place prize and a chance to perform with the Flint Symphony Orchestra in their season finale. Anton was born in Siberia and started playing violin at age four. He traveled through Russia and Poland, playing in several renowned orchestras and recording with the British label Olympia. Anton Shelepov is an active member of the Dayton Philharmonic and Livonia Symphony Orchestra. This goes to say that these concerts are truly world-class events, not just some local group playing some boring tunes.

 

Before each orchestra performance, a special speaker gives a rundown of the music being played that night, along with interesting facts about the members of the orchestra, the history of the Flint Cultural Center, and sometimes tidbits of information you won’t get elsewhere. On April 25, the pre-concert talk was given by the Flint Symphony Orchestra’s Principle Bass Player and Personnel Manager, Gregg Powell. Beginning with a comical third-person introduction of himself, Powell strayed from the stereotypes surrounding classical music and kicked off the night with a theme of “Why you’re lucky to be in Flint”.

 

Powell explored the extraordinary orchestra, from the involvement of several members in other area musical ensembles and organizations, to state-of-the-art facilities in the community. Most of the symphony’s performers have been offered more money to play elsewhere, but instead they dedicate their time and talents to a community they truly love. These musicians often work two jobs to make the ends meet, while accepting the opportunities to play in larger orchestras would eliminate the need for this. Even through these tough economic times, the Flint Cultural Center has not failed to accumulate the funds to operate the Flint School of Performing Arts and Flint Institute of Art, along with the ongoing maintenance of the necessary facilities to educate their students. The Center receives thousands of dollars through donations by local citizens and concert-goers, showing that behind the negative headlines in local newspapers and television reports, Flint has a passion for fine arts.