Idaho State University Welcomes New Civic Symphony Conductor

“We are absolutely ecstatic Dr. Flanders joined our team,” said Shandra Helman, Chair of the Music Department. “She brings a wonderfully vibrant energy into ISU's School of Performing Arts. Her commitment to music education and performance is inspirational, and her smile is delightfully contagious!"

“I’m looking forward to collaborating with my colleagues in the music department,” said Flanders. “I am going to step right into this community of like-minded, friendly, and innovative, dynamic people.”

Flanders comes to Idaho State from the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, where she served as assistant conductor, and The Chelsea Symphony in New York City, where she was conductor and concertmaster. She has been teaching and conducting at the Manhattan School of Music High School Division for many years, and as a full-time faculty member at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. 

Flanders will assume her role in the fall, conducting the September symphony. She says that she is impressed with the university and community collaboration aspect of the symphony. “It’s something that lots of institutions are talking about, and in Pocatello it’s already established.”

“I’m so impressed with the faculty I’ve met,” Flanders said. “The fact that the faculty perform with the orchestra shows their commitment to the ensemble and their engagement, and is such an amazing opportunity for students to be able to perform with their teachers in this very professional setting.”

Flanders has been cover conductor, guest conductor, and music director of prestigious symphonies and operas, as well as youth symphonic orchestras. To Idaho State she brings a history of conducting a vast array of music, including ballet, opera, holiday pop, indie pop, baroque, classical, contemporary, jazz, chamber music, and world premieres. She is currently conducting The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace, a contemporary one-act opera production in New York City that opened earlier this month. She will be conducting the next spring opera at Idaho State. 

Flanders comes from a family of amateur musicians and brings a holistic background as both performer and conductor to the program. She maintained a professional career in violin, viola, and piano performance for fifteen years before pursuing studies as a conductor and artistic director. Her performance history includes solo, chamber, and orchestral performance of baroque through contemporary and jazz music. She is looking forward to performing chamber music with other ISU music faculty and supporting amateur chamber music in Pocatello. 

“Dr. Flanders’ broad perspective as a total working musician will be invaluable for our students,” said Helman.

Flanders holds a Bachelor of Music degree in violin and piano performance from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, as well as a Master of Music degree in violin performance from the University of Akron. She also earned a Master of Music degree in orchestral conducting from Mannes College–The New School for Music. Her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in orchestral conducting is from Peabody Conservatory.

Flanders is a proponent of today’s music, and has been integral in the performance of many living composer’s work and premieres. The Chelsea Symphony, from which she most recently hails, is known for its programming featuring living and underrepresented composers. In 2019 she conducted the world premier of Beauty and the Beast with the American Repertory Ballet Company, choreographed by Kirk Peterson, set to music by Tchaikovsky.

She will bring world experience as a performer and conductor. Flanders has lived and worked in Europe for several years and is an accomplished student of language, fluent in French, Italian, Spanish, and conversational German. She regularly works with youth orchestras and professional ensembles in Panama. 

Flaners is a conductor and teacher with a passion for collaboration, who is interested in interactions with other disciplines. A recent collaboration project she undertook at the University of Maryland was bringing an Argentine tango quartet to the campus and hosting a whole weekend of activities around the Spanish Tango culture. 

One of her priorities is to find ways to encourage community engagement, and to explore new ways to help people feel welcome at concerts.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know other arts organizations in Pocatello and finding ways we can partner with them, finding ways to encourage music engagement,” Flanders said. “This system is so unique. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m excited about being in a place where I can feel like I am part of the community and that I’m able to make a difference in a meaningful way.”

For more information about Idaho State Civic Symphony please visit www.thesymphony.us.