Interlochen flute instructor performs on Paul Simon concert film

Nancy Stagnitta, a flute and chamber music instructor at Interlochen Arts Academy, performed on Paul Simon’s recent acoustic tour that was filmed for a new concert movie now streaming on Hulu and Disney+. The film includes the first live performance of Simon’s Grammy-nominated “Seven Psalms” and a companion live album released Oct. 9, 2026.

Why it matters: - Nancy Stagnitta’s performance with Paul Simon places an Interlochen Arts Academy faculty member inside a major touring project tied to one of Simon’s most personal works. - Interlochen points to the collaboration as a direct benefit for students, who learn from a working professional performing at a high level.

What happened: - Nancy Stagnitta, Powell Artist and Instructor of Flute and Chamber Music at Interlochen Arts Academy, performed on Paul Simon’s recent acoustic tour. - The tour appears in the concert film Paul Simon: A Quiet Celebration, now streaming on Hulu and Disney+. - The film was recorded live at McCaw Hall in Seattle. - A companion live album was released on Oct. 9, 2026.

The details: - The two-hour film features the first-ever live performance of Simon’s Grammy-nominated work “Seven Psalms.” - The concert film also includes reimagined versions of Simon’s classic hits and deeper catalog cuts. - Simon said the tour created a feeling of “camaraderie and elation” and called it one of his most extraordinary and “maybe the most joyous” tours. - Stagnitta’s role placed her among a small group of musicians invited to perform the work for live audiences. - She brings that experience back to Interlochen’s practice rooms and rehearsal halls. - Stagnitta teaches at Interlochen Arts Academy, the fine arts boarding high school founded in 1962. - Academy students study creative writing, dance, film and new media, interdisciplinary arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. - Interlochen says Academy students have earned 51 Presidential Scholars in the Arts honors, more than any other high school in the country. - More information is available from Nancy Stagnitta and Interlochen Arts Academy faculty and programs.

Between the lines: - The Simon collaboration gives Interlochen a concrete example of faculty members working in top-tier professional settings. - That kind of outside experience can strengthen classroom teaching with current industry perspective and live-performance credibility.

What's next: - Stagnitta will continue teaching at Interlochen Arts Academy while bringing performance experience from the tour into her instruction. - Interlochen will keep using faculty work in the professional arts world as part of its broader pitch to students and families.

The bottom line: - A high-profile Paul Simon tour gave an Interlochen flute instructor a national stage, and the school is turning that experience into a teaching advantage.