INDIAN RIVER COUNTY —The Atlantic Classical Orchestra (ACO) announced the election of Dr. Marie Jureit-Beamish as new chair, and returning officers, John Corbett, vice chair, John Beckert, treasurer, and Dr. Mary Shoaf, secretary. Three new members of the board were also elected: Steven Fishman and Scott Bayman, of Vero Beach, and Judge William Gee, of Juno Beach.
“I am so pleased we have identified these talented professionals to join our esteemed board, and that Marie Jureit-Beamish has been elected to Chair. Each of these individuals brings highly relevant experience, impressive records of accomplishment and a deep passion for classical music,” said ACO President and CEO, Alan Hopper. “They have demonstrated a willingness to be involved and the energy and determination to get things done.”
Steven Fishman has more than 40 years of experience in all facets of labor and employment law, representing management exclusively. He served as a trial attorney with the Pittsburgh Region of the NLRB, was associated with a large Chicago law firm’s labor and employment practice group, was in-house labor counsel to a Detroit-based Fortune 500 manufacturing business, and headed up his own labor and employment boutique law firm, The Fishman Group, with clients throughout the country.
Mr. Fishman is a frequent speaker to management groups, such as the Society for Human Resource Management, various health care trade groups, construction trade associations, and the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, on finding creative, business-oriented solutions to workplace legal problems.
Scott Bayman retired as a corporate officer of the General Electric Company and President and Chief Executive Officer of GE – India in 2007. After 20 years with General Electric, the last 14 years were spent leading India to a position as one of the leading multinational companies in the country with in-country sales of $3 billion.
Mr. Bayman is the non-executive Chairman of the Board for Lumis Partners, a Private Equity Fund focused on investing in technology leveraged and growth oriented companies. He sits on the corporate board of Global Dental Services Limited, a Mauritius company with investments in India in which he is a significant investor. He has served as advisor for numerous organizations in both India and the U.S.
Hon. William Gee served as a judge in Dutchess County, N.Y., for 26 years. He was Department Head for Fine and Performing Arts for the second largest central school district in that state and has also served as an educational consultant for the Palm Beach County schools. Judge Gee was the President of the Dutchess County Magistrates Association, and first vice-president of the New York State Magistrates Association. He served on the editorial committee for that organization. In 1995 Judge Gee was voted Magistrate of the Year by his colleagues.
Dr. Marie Jureit-Beamish, new Chair of the Board of the Atlantic Classical Orchestra, has had an illustrious and versatile career as a performing musician and professor of music at Principia College (Elsah, Ill.) for more than 35 years as the Charles Stewart Harding Mott Distinguished Professor of Music and recently Professor Emerita of Music, upon retiring in 2014. She studied and performed flute and piano with some of the most significant musicians of the 20th century, including: Igor Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, Pierre Boulez, Darius Milhaud, Loren Maazel, Leonard Bernstein, and Roger Sessions—to name but a few. Performing in some of the most prestigious concert halls in this country and abroad, including Carnegie Hall and Symphony Hall in Boston, she holds music degrees from three prestigious universities: Phi Beta Kappa in music and French from the University of California, Berkeley; Masters degrees from Stanford University; and a doctorate from Yale School of Music. Fifty years later she still maintains an active teaching and performing career.
Dr. Jureit-Beamish’s leadership experience dates back to age 16 with the founding of the Jr. Bach Festival Orchestra in the San Francisco Bay Area when she created her own string orchestra to perform the Bach D Minor Piano Concerto; soon thereafter she was invited to become the youngest member of the Board of Directors of the Festival. Since then she has served in a variety of leadership positions, including executive director and flute soloist of the CT Chamber Orchestra, Chair of the Music Department at Principia College for more than 25 years, founder and director of the Principia College Orchestra for more than 25 years, president of the Flute Society of St. Louis hosting a national convention, and director of many music tours of college students and adults around the country and to Europe and South America—instilling a love for the performing arts both here and abroad.
While on the faculty of Principia College, she taught countless music students who have since attended some of the most renowned graduate schools in the U.S., thus helping them to forge and establish their own careers in music.
In the Treasure Coast she and her musical family present The Jureit Musicales where she regularly hosts some of the finest talent locally, nationally, and internationally. A recipient of many awards, highlights include: the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Martin County Arts Council (Florida), the “Community Service Award” from the Daughters of the American Revolution for her selfless giving to the community of the Treasure Coast of Florida, and the “Dorothy Moller” grant at Principia College to produce with her three daughters a double CD of the music of Chopin entitled “Our Favorite Chopin.”
Locally she has served on the Boards of the Arts Council of Martin County and the Atlantic Classical Orchestra. An active member of many national professional music organizations, she currently serves as Chair of the Frances Blaisdell Scholarship competition established by the National Flute Association in 2010 to honor one of the most important mentors in her life. Her entrepreneurship continues locally this coming season with the establishment of the “Sunset @ the Gallery” concert series at the Martin County Cultural Center the second Tuesday of each month beginning in October.
Dr. Jureit-Beamish resides in Sewall’s Point with her husband William Beamish, a World War II veteran. She is the very proud mother of her four children: Nile Garritson (Vice President of First Pacific Advisors of Los Angeles), Laura Garritson Parker (pianist and violinist and faculty member of Principia College), Dr. Ashley Garritson (principal cellist of both the Miami City Ballet and Atlantic Classical Orchestra), and Lindsay Garritson (internationally acclaimed pianist, violinist and soprano).
The ACO launches its 26th season on Jan.13, 2016 with the Masterworks Guest Conductor Series at the Waxlax Theatre, St. Edward’s School in Vero Beach, the Lyric Theatre in Stuart and the Eissey Campus Theatre at Palm Beach State College, Palm Beach Gardens. The ACO’s renowned Artistic Director and Conductor, Stewart Robertson retired at the close of the 25th anniversary season after 11 years, due to health reasons. Maestro Robertson will pass the baton to one of four talented Guest Conductor finalists at the close of the 2016 season.
For more information and tickets please visit the website, www.ACO-music.org or call (772) 460-0850.
The Atlantic Classical Orchestra, founded in 1990 by Andrew McMullan, encourages and cultivates appreciation and understanding of classical music. Serving as a primary cultural resource in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast, the ACO performs at the Waxlax Center in Vero Beach, the Lyric Theatre in Stuart, and at the Eissey Campus Theatre, Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach Gardens. The ACO’s educational and outreach efforts include its popular Behind the Baton Lecture Series, a Chamber Music Series, and an ongoing relationship with the Treasure Coast Youth Symphony. The Atlantic Classical Orchestra is an independent non-profit 501(c) (3) organization located in Fort Pierce.
