The Michigan Phil has grown from a small community orchestra to an award-winning, dynamic and innovative professional regional orchestra serving several Michigan communities, including Plymouth, Canton, Birmingham-Bloomfield, Grosse Pointe, Detroit.

This shift was solidified by the hiring of southern California conductor Nan Washburn after an extensive nationwide search.

The orchestra naturally began to attract new and better players, because of the opportunity to play more challenging repertoire, as well as an interest in performing contemporary classical works by living composers.

To serve the orchestra’s educational goals, a program was created in 1998 to bring classical music to 3rd and 4th graders.

in 2003 Nan Washburn founded the Michigan Philharmonic Youth Orchestra which she served as Art Director and Conductor of until 2017.