Pine Mountain Music Festival
Encyclopedia
The Pine Mountain Music Festival (often abbreviated PMMF) is a music festival held in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan
each summer. The festival's schedule varies each year, typically including at least one major opera
, a night of scenes from famous operas, performances by several chamber music groups, a symphony
, organ
and voice recitals, and performances by members of the Orchestra Fellowship Program. Various master class
es (including organ and voice) are also offered to community members.
Venues range across the western Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin
, focusing on the cities of Houghton, Ontonagon, Iron Mountain, Marquette, and Land O' Lakes in Wisconsin. Most performances tour among these cities. The major performances and a season ending gala take place in and around Houghton and Marquette between early June and mid July.
The festival began in 1991 as a series of chamber music performances, and quickly expanded to include operas and symphonies. The PMMF has been host to the first performance of a locally written opera about the history of the Keweenaw. Musicians involved in the festival also mentor high school students in the Orchestra Fellowship Program at Michigan Technological University
, who perform as part of the festival.
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
each summer. The festival's schedule varies each year, typically including at least one major opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, a night of scenes from famous operas, performances by several chamber music groups, a symphony
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
, organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
and voice recitals, and performances by members of the Orchestra Fellowship Program. Various master class
Master class
A master class is a class given to students of a particular discipline by an expert of that discipline—usually music, but also painting, drama, or any of the arts....
es (including organ and voice) are also offered to community members.
Venues range across the western Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, focusing on the cities of Houghton, Ontonagon, Iron Mountain, Marquette, and Land O' Lakes in Wisconsin. Most performances tour among these cities. The major performances and a season ending gala take place in and around Houghton and Marquette between early June and mid July.
The festival began in 1991 as a series of chamber music performances, and quickly expanded to include operas and symphonies. The PMMF has been host to the first performance of a locally written opera about the history of the Keweenaw. Musicians involved in the festival also mentor high school students in the Orchestra Fellowship Program at Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University is a public research university located in Houghton, Michigan, United States. Its main campus sits on on a bluff overlooking Portage Lake...
, who perform as part of the festival.