Flutist Mimi Stillman, acclaimed by The New York Times as “not only a consummate and charismatic performer, but also a scholar whose programs tend to activate ear, heart, and brain”, is renowned for her virtuosity, insightful interpretation, and adventurous programming. As soloist, she has appeared with orchestras including The Philadelphia Orchestra, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Bach Collegium Stuttgart, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Orquesta Sinfónica de Yucatán, Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, and Orchestra 2001, and as recitalist and chamber musician at venues including Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Sawdust, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Brooklyn’s Roulette, Symphony Space, La Jolla Chamber Music Society, The Kimmel Center, The Verbier Festival, and Kol HaMusica.
Ms. Stillman is the founding Artistic Director of the popular Dolce Suono Ensemble, “one of the most dynamic groups in the US” (The Huffington Post), performing Baroque to new music with 54 world premieres in 14 seasons in Philadelphia and on tour. At the invitation of Plácido Domingo, Ms. Stillman and Dolce Suono Ensemble enjoy a partnership with the Washington National Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program.
A wide-ranging and innovative artist, Ms. Stillman celebrates the canon while deeply exploring new music and Latin genres. She is highly regarded for expanding the repertoire through her commissions and arrangements. She can be heard on several recordings including Odyssey: 11 American Premieres for Flute and Piano and Freedom, both with her longstanding duo pianist Charles Abramovic, and American Canvas performed by her Dolce Suono Trio (Innova). Her Syrinx Journey project, a tribute to Claude Debussy on his 150thanniversary, garnered an international following.
Mimi Stillman made the leap from child prodigy to inimitable artist. At age 12, she was the youngest wind player ever admitted to the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with the legendary Julius Baker and Jeffrey Khaner and earned her Bachelor of Music degree. She holds a MA in History from the University of Pennsylvania, and is a published author on music and history.
Mimi Stillman has won numerous competitions and awards including Young Concert Artists International Auditions, the Bärenreiter Prize for Best Historical Performance for Winds, Astral Artists Auditions, and the Philadelphia Women in the Arts Award. Her Dolce Suono Ensemble has been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, William Penn Foundation, Aaron Copland Fund for Music, and other prestigious organizations. A Yamaha Performing Artist and Clinician, strongly committed to excellence in education, she has taught masterclasses at institutions including the National Flute Association, Eastman School of Music, Cornell University, Southern Methodist University, Indiana University, Penn State University, Michigan State University, Haverford College, Bryn Mawr College, the universities of Texas, California, Virginia, Florida, and Arizona, and at conservatories worldwide.
A Spanish-speaker, Ms. Stillman won the Knight Foundation grant for her Música en tus Manos (Music in Your Hands) project to introduce chamber music to the Latino community of Philadelphia. She is on faculty at Temple University, Curtis Summerfest, and Music for All National Festival.
Photo by Vanessa Briceño