TheLeader VOLUME XXVI ISSUE1 Winter2025 - Flipbook - Page 42
Internationally Acclaimed Conductor Peter Tiboris
MidAmerica Productions Founder and General
Music Director, Peter Tiboris, the grandson of
Greek immigrants, a member of Leadership
100, and an Archon of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate, passed away in Greece on
September 17, 2024. For over four decades
Tiboris dedicated his life to transforming
MidAmerica Productions into a worldrenowned institution, bringing music to life on
global stages, including the prestigious
Carnegie Hall. His remarkable vision and
passion shaped the organization and touched
the lives of countless musicians and audiences
alike.
E. Peter Tiboris, son of Peter Tiboris and now Chairman of the
Board of Directors of MidAmerica Productions, shared his
reflections: “For over 40 years, my sister Stephanie and I
witnessed our father’s leadership and passion firsthand. He was
a visionary whose love for music brought together people from
all over the world. While we’re heartbroken by his loss, we take
comfort in knowing that the legacy he built will live on
through every performance we give.”
The leadership of MidAmerica Productions will remain firmly
in the hands of Peter Tiboris’ family: son E. Peter Tiboris,
daughter Stephanie Tiboris, and his widow, Eilana
Lappalainen. Reflecting on Peter's legacy, MidAmerica
Productions Associate General Director and International
Festival of the Aegean General Director and Artistic Director
Eilana Lappalainen shared, "Peter’s passion for music and his
unwavering dedication to MidAmerica Productions will
forever remain a beacon of inspiration for all who knew him.
While his absence leaves an undeniable void, his spirit will live
on in the performances and artists he so deeply cherished.”
CEO James E. Redcay III expressed his admiration for Peter
Tiboris and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the
future: “Peter was a visionary leader, a mentor, and a friend.
His influence in the world of music is immeasurable, and he
has left us with an indelible legacy to uphold. The entire team
at MidAmerica is committed to honoring Peter’s memory by
continuing to bring world-class musical experiences to
audiences everywhere. The 2025 season promises to be our
largest in a decade and is a testament to his life's work and the
amazing team he built to bring his vision to life.”
In 2024, to mark both his 75th birthday and the 40th
anniversary of MidAmerica Productions, Peter Tiboris,
together with biographer Alex Kitroeff, released his biography,
Peter Tiboris: A Musical Odyssey (available at midamericamusic.com/petertiborisbiography).
40
Greek American conductor, music director, and
impresario Peter Tiboris was a transformative
figure in the international music scene for more
than 50 years. Hailed "The most prolific
presenter of choral concerts in the history of
Carnegie Hall" by the Director of the Rose
Museum and Archives at Carnegie Hall, Peter
Tiboris was the General and Music Director of
MidAmerica Productions since its founding in
1983. Tiboris was instrumental in the
presentation of over 1,500 concerts worldwide.
His leadership brought performances to iconic
venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln
Center’s Avery Fisher (now David Geffen) Hall,
and Alice Tully Hall, where he made his New York debut in
1984 with the American Symphony Orchestra.
In 2004, Tiboris founded MidAm International, which
extended his vision to major cultural centers across Europe,
producing concerts in cities such as Paris, Vienna, Florence,
Lisbon, and Moscow. A year later, he launched the
International Festival of the Aegean on the Greek island of
Syros, offering international-caliber performances spanning
opera, symphonic works, Greek folk music, and ballet. In
2011, the Festival was named “Best Cultural Organization
Operating in the Wider Region of Greece” by the Union of
Greek Theatre and Music Critics in Athens.
Tiboris' conducting repertoire was vast, ranging from major
choral works to symphonies, operas, and ballets, including
numerous world and American premieres. Among the
distinguished orchestras he conducted were London’s Royal
Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Moscow Radio
and Television Symphony Orchestra, and the National Opera
Orchestra of Cairo. His ballet engagements included
collaborations with the Balletto di Verona and the Teatro
dell’Opera di Roma, where his production of Peer Gynt was
named “Ballet of the Year” by Danza e Danza Magazine.
In 1995, Tiboris founded Elysium Recordings, which has a
catalog of 27 releases, many of which feature him as
conductor. His discography also includes world-premiere
recordings of works by Beethoven, Mozart, and Schubert
which are currently available to listen to on all streaming
platforms.
Tiboris studied music at the University of Wisconsin and
earned his doctorate from the University of Illinois. His
remarkable career, spanning continents and genres, left an
indelible mark on the world of classical music.
