Tippet Rise Art Center facts for kids
Tippet Rise Art Center is a unique place in southcentral Montana. It's located on a huge 12,000-acre working ranch (4,900 ha), not far from Yellowstone National Park. Since it opened in 2016, Tippet Rise has been a special spot for enjoying classical music concerts and amazing, giant outdoor sculptures.
The main idea behind Tippet Rise is to celebrate how music, art, buildings, and the beautiful landscape can all work together. The people who created and support it are Peter and Cathy Halstead. They are artists and also help good causes. Cathy Halstead is an abstract painter, and Peter Halstead is a pianist, photographer, and poet.
Tippet Rise has many cool sculptures. These include three big structures by Ensamble Studio. There are also two artworks by Alexander Calder that are borrowed from the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Other artists with work here are Patrick Dougherty, Mark di Suvero, and Stephen Talasnik. In July 2019, a new building designed by architect Diébédo Francis Kéré also opened.
You can visit the art center during July, August, and September. However, you need to make a reservation because only a limited number of people can visit at a time.
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Amazing Outdoor Sculptures
When Tippet Rise first opened in 2016, it had eight large artworks by famous modern artists. These sculptures are spread out across the beautiful ranch land.
- Beethoven's Quartet by Mark di Suvero – This sculpture used to be at the Storm King Art Center.
- Proverb by Mark di Suvero – This piece was made in 2002.
- Two Discs – This artwork was created in 1965 by Alexander Calder.
- The Stainless Stealer – Another piece by Alexander Calder, made in 1966.
- The Inverted Portal by the Spanish architecture group Ensamble Studio.
- The Beartooth Portal by the Spanish architecture group Ensamble Studio.
- The Domo by the Spanish architecture group Ensamble Studio.
- Satellite No. 5 Pioneer by Stephen Talasnik.
- Daydreams by Patrick Dougherty – This sculpture looks like an old schoolhouse covered in twigs!
Tippet Rise is similar to other big sculpture parks. Two examples are Storm King Art Center in New York and Gibbs Farm in New Zealand.
Music Venues and Performances
Tippet Rise Art Center has three special places where you can enjoy live classical music.
The Olivier Music Barn
This is an indoor space that feels cozy and has great sound. You can see the Beartooth Mountains right from inside! The Olivier Music Barn can seat 150 people. Its size and shape were inspired by the Esterhazy Music Room. This was where Franz Joseph Haydn composed his chamber music. The barn has a high ceiling that makes the music sound even more amazing. It also looks like a traditional wooden barn.
The building also has a visitor center. It includes a modern recording room with 3D sound and 4K high-definition film projection.
In January 2019, the Olivier Music Barn earned a special award called LEED Gold certification. This means it was built in a way that is good for the environment. It uses very little energy and produces low carbon emissions. All the main buildings at Tippet Rise use a geothermal energy system for heating and cooling. Also, 8,000 square feet of solar panels provide power. They even collect and reuse rain and snowmelt for watering plants!
The Domo
The Domo was designed by the Spanish architecture firm Ensamble Studio. It was built using materials from the land at Tippet Rise itself. It's seen as a mix of land art, sculpture, and a place for performances.
The Tiara Acoustic Shell
This is an outdoor stage that can be moved. It can seat 100 people for performances.
Musical Performances
The first season in 2016 featured seven weeks of classical music. Many famous musicians and rising stars have performed at Tippet Rise since then. These include pianists Anne-Marie McDermott, Wu Han, Stephen Hough, Yevgeny Sudbin, and Pedja Muzijevic. Cellists David Finckel and Matt Haimovitz, violinist Caroline Goulding, the Ariel String Quartet, and the Orchestra of St. Luke's St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble have also performed.
People Behind the Scenes
Pedja Muzijevic is currently the Artistic Advisor for Tippet Rise. He was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He studied piano and has performed in many famous places. He also helps with other arts programs in New York and Canada.
Christopher O’Riley was the first Artistic Advisor for the art center. Charles Hamlen, who helped start IMG Artists, was the Artistic Advisor for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Films and Sound Recordings
Since 2016, Tippet Rise Art Center has created many films and audio recordings. Mickey Houlihan helped set up the special 9.1 surround sound recording studio. Kathy Kasic was the film director from 2016 to 2018. She worked with Mickey Houlihan on over 70 projects. These included recordings of music performances, documentaries, and artistic films.
Where is Tippet Rise?
Tippet Rise Art Center is located near Fishtail, Montana. It's about a 1.5-hour drive southwest of Billings Montana. It's also about a 2-hour drive southeast of Bozeman. The center is north of the beautiful Beartooth Mountains, the Custer National Forest, the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, and Yellowstone National Park.
Some people who live in the area were concerned when the facility was built. This area was previously undeveloped.
