Musicians of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic

Community Harvest Food Bank provides absolutely essential services to our community, and we are thrilled to assist them with a new floor scrubber. Be sure to check in with your local charities this holiday season to see what’s on their wish list!

Congratulations to our colleagues, Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians, for reaching a new collective bargaining agreement!

Philadelphia Orchestra musicians approve a new labor agreement for higher pay, increased work protections The new contact comes after several weeks of the threat of a strike and months of tension.

We stand in with Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians as they continue to negotiate for a fair contract. AFM - American Federation of Musicians American Federation of Musicians Local 77

Happy Labor Day! We’re in downtown Fort Wayne at the Annual Northeast Indiana AFL-CIO Labor Day Picnic. Stop by and join our celebration of all working people until 3PM.

🌤️SUMMER MUSICIAN UPDATE🌤️

Principal Tuba Chance Huiet joined the St. Louis Symphony for the close of their 2023 season for performances of the Rite of Spring and Damnation of Faust, followed shortly thereafter by a featured appearance at the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference at Arizona State University with the Western Brass Quintet. Chance rounded out his busy summer schedule performing a week with The Cleveland Orchestra - but he made sure to get some golf in too!

🎼SUMMER MUSICIAN UPDATE🎼

Principal Flutist Luke Fitzpatrick is finishing his first season with the Chautauqua Symphony this summer, located on beautiful Chautauqua Lake in New York. He also spent time in Rochester as the director of “The Artistic Flutist,” a week long flute intensive seminar at the Eastman School of Music.

⛰️SUMMER MUSICIAN UPDATE⛰️

Principal Harpist Anne Lewellen just completed her 25th season of summer performances at the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson Hole, Wyoming!

We mourn the loss of our colleague, violinist Eloise Guy. During her over 50 years with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Eloise held the positions of Assistant and Associate Concertmaster, and inspired generations of students as a dedicated educator in our community.

A celebration of Eloise Guy's life will be held on Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 11:00 am at First Wayne Street United Methodist Church, 300 E. Wayne Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802, with visitation prior from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.

Eloise Guy Obituary - Fort Wayne, IN Celebrate the life of Eloise Guy, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of .

☀️Summer Musician Update☀️

Fort Wayne Philharmonic Principal Violist Derek Reeves has had an eventful few weeks since the Philharmonic Season ended in mid May.

At the end of May, a short film called “The Rescue,” that he helped to compose the score for with Radiance Tyler at Silverbirch Studios in Ft. Wayne, was entered into the Cannes World Film Festival. The film, directed by Tess Cacciatore of Los Angeles, ended up winning the award for “Best Social Justice Short Film.”

Derek was also commissioned by the Public Art Commission to compose a piece for the 60th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking in Fort Wayne on June 5,1963. The event, which coincided with the formal dedication of Fort Wayne’s newest monument, “Pillars of Hope and Justice” was attended by Martin Luther King III, who also spoke at the event. Derek performed his original composition, entitled “Transcendence” for viola and piano with Alicia Pyle. Mr. King was moved by the piece, and made it a point to say so to Mr. Reeves.

Derek is filling out his busy schedule performing with the touring production of “Ain’t Too Proud” The Story of the Temptations before heading off to teach at The Brevard Music Center in Brevard, NC for the summer.

Bravo Derek!

🤝BREAKING NEWS🤝

Fort Wayne Philharmonic and musicians agree on new contract The Fort Wayne Philharmonic and musicians have agreed to a four year contract, ending a dispute that has lasted months.

📣3/5/23 PICKET ALERT: Join us at 2PM SUNDAY 3/5 in front of the Allen County Courthouse in downtown Fort Wayne📣

Christopher Guerin, Philharmonic President 1985-2005, shares his leadership experience and perspective in today’s Journal Gazette (3/4/23)

Board still underestimates musicians' resolve One would think that a group of people of wealth and position would necessarily be “mature.” This cannot be said of the board of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.

☎️3/1/23 PICKET ALERT: Join our picket line 4:30 PM Wednesday 3/1 in front of the Embassy Theatre in downtown Fort Wayne☎️

📷 Photos from our world-premiere performance of Howard Terrell’s Symphony No. 1 on Saturday, February 25 at Plymouth Congregational Church 📷 We thank our wonderful patrons for their support!

🌤️2/26/23 SUNDAY PICKET ALERT: Join 2PM, Sunday 2/26 at Allen County Courthouse in downtown Fort Wayne🌤️

Many thanks to Kathleen Collins and Cleveland Orchestra Musicians for the insightful letter of support in today’s Journal Gazette (2/24/23)

Questions linger, support for strikers, negligent Democrats Today's writers are Joni Weber of Fort Wayne, Kathleen Collins of the Cleveland Orchestra Committee and Bruce Cynar of Leo-Cedarville

“What’s the hold up?” Read more here to find out…

Board's stubborn focus preventing Philharmonic accord On behalf of all Philharmonic musicians, we would like to thank our community for the overwhelming support we’ve received.

🛎️FEBRUARY STRIKE UPDATE🛎️

Please visit our website to read our February Strike Update! There, you will also find Players’ Association concert information and our archive of press releases, letters and articles.

Musicians of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Your Musicians.Your Orchestra. Upcoming Concerts - Free!Come Stand With Us! Why Our Strike ContinuesWE ARE ON STRIKE TO PRESERVE FAIR WORKING CONDITIONSWhile we have agreed to Fort Wayne Philharmonic (FWP) management’s proposed wage terms, the FWP’s proposal seeks to alter scheduling rules th....

👞2/21/23 PICKET UPDATE: Join us 12PM Tuesday 2/21 at 303 E. Main Street in downtown Fort Wayne👞

👢2/19/23 PICKET SCHEDULE: Join us at 2PM Sunday 2/19 at Allen Co. Courthouse👢

THANK YOU, Seattle Symphony & Opera Players' Organization, for your generous donation to our Players’ Association General Fund. Donations may be made electronically at fwpmusicians.com

Philharmonic Principal Violist Derek Reeves, 2023 Arts United Award nominee, is profiled below!

2023 ARTS UNITED AWARD NOMINEE - DEREK REEVES 🌟

Derek Reeves has been the Principal Violist of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and Violist of the Freimann String Quartet since 2003. As an innovator in music education, Derek has had a profound impact on how music is taught in this community. He has demonstrated the ability to connect with students of all levels and help them attain higher degrees of proficiency, regardless of their starting point. He recently taught a master class at The Juilliard School and was appointed to the viola faculty of the Brevard Music Center in Brevard, North Carolina. He is an Adjunct Professor of viola at Purdue University Fort Wayne and is the originator of an El Sistema-based string education program in Fort Wayne called “Club O.”

Read more about Philharmonic Principal Bassist Adrian Mann’s 2023 Arts United Award nomination!

2023 ARTS UNITED AWARD NOMINEE - ADRIAN MANN 🌟

Adrian Mann has served the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and the Fort Wayne community with his extraordinary musical talents for decades with incredible talent, grace, and a dedicated work ethic. As the Principal Bassist with his own endowed chair in the orchestra, Adrian has served the Philharmonic for 50 years in many ways and in many roles.

In addition to his musicianship, Adrian’s other roles include Director of Gallery Concerts from 1974 to 1982, Stage Manager from 1994 to 2007, Staff Arranger since 1989, and Orchestra Librarian since 2007. His tenure has allowed the Philharmonic to share his incredible wealth of talents with the community in an inspirational way. Along with performing and composing, he ensures each musician is prepared with their music for upcoming performances, arranges new and existing pieces for concerts, and manages the Philharmonic’s archives in addition to many
other integral tasks.

🥾2/17/23 RUSH HOUR PICKET ALERT: Join us at 4:30PM Friday 12/17 on the corner of St Joe Road and Dean Dr in Fort Wayne !🥾

L to R: Philharmonic Musicians Chance Huiet, Tuba, Brian Johnston, Trombone, Laurie Blanchet, Clarinet, and Luke Fitzpatrick, Flute, all joined the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as guests for performances last weekend. Here they are on the stage of Detroit’s historic Orchestra Hall.

🌪️2/15/23 PICKET SCHEDULE: Join us at 12PM Wednesday 2/15 at 303 E. Main St. in downtown Fort Wayne🌪️

☀️2/13/23 PICKET ALERT: Join us TODAY 2/13 at 4:30PM at Allen County Courthouse in downtown Fort Wayne☀️

THANK YOU, Cleveland Orchestra Musicians, for your support!

Cleveland orchestra musicians with our guest timpanist, Eric Schweikert, who is from the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. Thank you for joining us this week, Eric!
We stand with the musicians of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.

👏Many thanks to our supportive audience for attending Thursday’s performance of ‘Mann & Mozart’! Please join us for our second performance 2PM Sunday 2/12 at Rhinehart Recital Hall on the PFW Campus. Admission is FREE.👏

👀2/11/23 PICKET ALERT: Join our picket line 12PM Satruday 2/11 in front of the Embassy Theatre in downtown Fort Wayne👀

THANK YOU, Musicians of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra and Toledo Federation of Musicians, AFM Local 15-286, for your generous donation to our Players’ Association General Fund! Click the ‘DONATE’ button at fwpmusicians.com to make a contribution.

Musicians of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Your Musicians.Your Orchestra. Upcoming Concerts - Free!Come Stand With Us! Why Our Strike ContinuesWE ARE ON STRIKE TO PRESERVE FAIR WORKING CONDITIONSWhile we have agreed to Fort Wayne Philharmonic (FWP) management’s proposed wage terms, the FWP’s proposal seeks to alter scheduling rules th....

👋🏼2/10/23 Picket Update: Join our picket line 12PM Friday 2/10/23 at 303 E. Main Street in downtown Fort Wayne👋🏼

🎶JOIN US TONIGHT for our first performance of “Mann and Mozart”! 7:30 PM, First Wayne Street United Methodist Church, 300 East Wayne Street in downtown Fort Wayne🎶

📢CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT📢
Join us for “Mann & Mozart”, 7:30PM February 9 at First Wayne Street United Methodist Church in downtown Fort Wayne, and 2PM February 12 at Rhinehart Recital Hall at PFW. Admission is FREE.

📢CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT📢
Join us for “Mann & Mozart”, 7:30PM February 9 at First Wayne Street United Methodist Church in downtown Fort Wayne, and 2PM February 12 at Rhinehart Recital Hall at PFW. Admission is FREE.