From the Blog: Community

This week in Links we Like, we take a glimpse at the abundance of summer’s classical music events occurring across the globe. From a listing of North American summer music festival concerts, to the establishment of a society for music education in Nepal, to a group of nuns from Avignon signing a record deal with one of London’s finest labels, this summer presents a plethora of opportunities for those invested in classical music.

The Summer Hot List: Looking to attend a classical performance this summer, but not sure where to start? Look no further, for the New York Times has compiled a list of summer festival concerts for 25 different states. The list includes program details, visiting artists, and contact/website information for each festival. Click here to find a performance near you.

The Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood (courtesy Stu Rosner via New York Times)

A New Hope for Teaching in Nepal: Robert Moore, a recent graduate of Baylor University and Fulbright scholarship recipient, has played a major role in establishing a music education network for Nepali teachers and musicians: the Nepal Music Educator’s Society. Robert spent 10 months in Kathmandu (the nation’s capital) establishing music curriculum standards, learning traditional Nepali music, and becoming ingratiated with the existing music community to promote further growth and development. He says on the importance of music education: “…music teaches culture. I also think important values, like leadership and dedication, are taught through music” (via NewsWise). Robert kept a travel blog during his visit, posting updates and photos from his experiences and travels. To learn more about Robert’s visit to Nepal and the society, click here.

Robert Moore and the Madal: Nepal's traditional folk drum

Gregorian Chant the New “Pop”: It seems the prayers of the Benedictine Nuns from the Abbaye de Notre Dame de l’Annonciation have been answered. They just signed a contract with the London-based Decca Records, the same label to sign such artists as U2, Lady Gaga, and Eminem. The group of singing nuns practice 6th century-style Gregorian chant, and lead reclusive lives behind the abbey’s closed doors. They beat over 70 other convents competing for the record deal in the United States, Africa, and Europe, and the album Voice: Chant From Avignon is to be released this November. Read more about the record deal and nuns here.

(courtesy of news.myjoyonline.com)

Bella with Fellow Performers at the El Dorado Retirement Center

We love when From the Top performers take Arts Leadership to the next level – 14 year-old violist Isabella Markham, a Jack Kent Cook Young Artist, has done just that by organizing a small concert series for a retirement center with the help of her brother and seven friends.  She titled the performance “Bella Palooza” and it took place on March 7, 2010 at the El Dorado; an independent retirement home located in Richardson, TX. The program included works for cello, violin, viola, and piano. Bella chose this project to provide seniors a fun break from their daily routine. Through the performance, Bella hoped to show that musicians her age still care for elderly people, and that music is a universal form of communication. A talented artist as well as a musician, Bella also created beautiful, hand-drawn flyers to promote the event.

Bella's Concert Program Art

Bella on "From the Top"

“I strongly believe that our culture tends to forget about the elderly and aging. A lot of these people are lonely and they don’t get enough love. Everyone needs someone to look forward to, and I think music makes a person’s heart happy.”

-Bella Markham

The El Dorado Dining Hall

We asked Bella a few questions about the performance and the overall experience:

Bella with pianist Evan Ritter

From the Top: How did you come up with your project idea?

Bella: I chose this activity because I wanted the old folks to have something exciting and new to look forward to in their daily schedule. It seems that they are forgotten sometimes, so I wanted to share the gift of music with them.

From the Top: What was the experience like for you? Did you have a favorite moment?

Bella: The experience was so inspiring and enriching! I would definitely love to do something like this again. Although it was a little bit stressful in having the complete responsibility to coordinate the entire event, it was all worth it in the end.

My favorite moment was after the performance. I went around to each table to talk to the old folks and asked them what they thought about the performance. Their faces beamed with joy and they even wanted me to come back and perform again! I loved seeing them so happy.

From the Top: What do you think the audience took away from the event?

Bella: I think the audience took away the joy and love for music. They truly enjoyed seeing us young performers perform for them. I would never be able to describe how happy they were, they were so overwhelmed with joy.

From the Top: What did you learn from this experience?

Bella: I learned that no matter who you are or what you do, music can connect and communicate to anyone! In my opinion, music truly is a wonder to the universe.

From the Top: Do you think this type of experience can help your development as a musician? How?

Bella: Definitely, yes. This is an extremely humbling experience and reminds me all the time of how fortunate and blessed I am. I think this is why I gravitate towards this particular group of people. I know that my presence and sharing of music genuinely touches their hearts as well as mine. Also, I know that I’m making a difference.

From the Top: What advice would you give other musicians interested in doing a similar project?

Bella: Definitely choose a softer selection of pieces to perform. The old folks seem to enjoy the softer pieces a lot. Also, prepare to talk and introduce yourself to them, this seems to make the performance more intimate and enjoyable. It’s also good to go around and talk with them after the performance; they love to talk with you about what a joy it was to have you perform.

Bella with Fellow Performers at the El Dorado Retirement Center

We love when From the Top performers take Arts Leadership to the next level – 14 year-old violist Isabella Markham, a Jack Kent Cook Young Artist, has done just that by organizing a small concert series for a retirement center with the help of her brother and seven friends.  She titled the performance “Bella Palooza” and it took place on March 7, 2010 at the El Dorado; an independent retirement home located in Richardson, TX. The program included works for cello, violin, viola, and piano. Bella chose this project to provide seniors a fun break from their daily routine. Through the performance, Bella hoped to show that musicians her age still care for elderly people, and that music is a universal form of communication. A talented artist as well as a musician, Bella also created beautiful, hand-drawn flyers to promote the event.

Bella's Concert Program Art

Bella on "From the Top"

“I strongly believe that our culture tends to forget about the elderly and aging. A lot of these people are lonely and they don’t get enough love. Everyone needs someone to look forward to, and I think music makes a person’s heart happy.”

-Bella Markham

The El Dorado Dining Hall

We asked Bella a few questions about the performance and the overall experience:

Bella with pianist Evan Ritter

From the Top: How did you come up with your project idea?

Bella: I chose this activity because I wanted the old folks to have something exciting and new to look forward to in their daily schedule. It seems that they are forgotten sometimes, so I wanted to share the gift of music with them.

From the Top: What was the experience like for you? Did you have a favorite moment?

Bella: The experience was so inspiring and enriching! I would definitely love to do something like this again. Although it was a little bit stressful in having the complete responsibility to coordinate the entire event, it was all worth it in the end.

My favorite moment was after the performance. I went around to each table to talk to the old folks and asked them what they thought about the performance. Their faces beamed with joy and they even wanted me to come back and perform again! I loved seeing them so happy.

From the Top: What do you think the audience took away from the event?

Bella: I think the audience took away the joy and love for music. They truly enjoyed seeing us young performers perform for them. I would never be able to describe how happy they were, they were so overwhelmed with joy.

From the Top: What did you learn from this experience?

Bella: I learned that no matter who you are or what you do, music can connect and communicate to anyone! In my opinion, music truly is a wonder to the universe.

From the Top: Do you think this type of experience can help your development as a musician? How?

Bella: Definitely, yes. This is an extremely humbling experience and reminds me all the time of how fortunate and blessed I am. I think this is why I gravitate towards this particular group of people. I know that my presence and sharing of music genuinely touches their hearts as well as mine. Also, I know that I’m making a difference.

From the Top: What advice would you give other musicians interested in doing a similar project?

Bella: Definitely choose a softer selection of pieces to perform. The old folks seem to enjoy the softer pieces a lot. Also, prepare to talk and introduce yourself to them, this seems to make the performance more intimate and enjoyable. It’s also good to go around and talk with them after the performance; they love to talk with you about what a joy it was to have you perform.

Earlier this year, 13-year-old John Ringor (Show #202 and #206 ) and 17-year-old Joshua Jones (TV Episode 201, Show #171 and  #206), both Chicago percussionists and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award recipients, gave a performance and demonstration for children and their families at the Chicago Symphony Center. They were joined by eight of their colleagues from the Percussion Scholarship Group (PSG), a program affiliated with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (an ensemble of which appeared on From the Top’s Show #206), that provides free lessons and percussion instruments to students from the Chicago area – an inspiring example of arts leadership itself!

John, Josh, and members of the Percussion Scholarship Group at the Chicago Symphony Center

Their concert was part of the CSO’s Caminos a la Musica: a program that provides lower-income families the opportunity to see and experience classical music in a professional setting.

(We) chose to perform for kids because they are the people of the future; they will be the ones to shape the future of music. These people need to realize just how important music is so that they can help promote and support it.” – John

“(We) wanted to spread knowledge about percussion and the PSG, and also I wanted to incorporate members of the group in this performance. Kind of like a family affair.” -Josh

We asked John and Josh to share more about their project:

John, Josh, and the PSG performing at the Chicago Symphony Center

FTT: What was the experience like for you? Did you have a favorite moment?

Josh: I had fun performing for the children, and their reaction was priceless. As loud as we were, I was expecting them to cover their ears, but the adults were the only ones with their ears covered.

John: Perhaps my favorite moment of the whole performance was seeing how happy all the kids were. The looks on their faces when we started things off with a bang and when I was doing all sorts of stick tricks in a solo were so gratifying. They looked like they really enjoyed our performance and had fun and a genuine interest in our music. That feeling of appreciation I got from them was the best part of this whole experience.

FTT: What do you think the audience took away from the event?

John: I think that they developed a new interest and appreciation for percussion and music that is not normally heard on the radio or is mainstream. They really seemed interested in the instruments and music we played so I think that one day they too will want to play an instrument.

Josh: Probably the point that was received by the audience was that percussion is a fun instrument to play, and it takes hard work to achieve a high level on any instrument that they may decide to take up, or anything they decide to do in life.

FTT: What did you learn from the experience?

Josh: I experienced how the sound was much bigger in a smaller room, so we had to play softer in order to not over power and frighten the children. It was kind of funny actually.

John: I learned that organizing such an event is no easy task. At times it was difficult getting everyone together and having rehearsals, but we eventually worked things out. Mostly I learned to just have fun. When I have fun then everyone else senses that and tries to have fun as well. By enjoying myself and keeping a positive attitude the performance was wonderful and the kids had a great time.

FTT: Do you think this type of experience can help your development as a musician? How?

John: It’s taught me the value of planning, organization, teamwork, and showmanship. I learned that just like in an orchestra or in an ensemble, teamwork and communication was essential both for playing musically together as well as running the show.

Josh: Instead of regurgitating music that we memorize, connecting with the audience can ease some of the nerves we may have as musicians when we perform and it tells us even more what the audience wants out of a concert.

FTT: What advice would you give other musicians interested in doing a similar project?

Josh: Don’t be afraid to try new things as you go. Always have a set goal, but if there is room for improvisation, take full advantage of it.

John: Just have fun with it. If the audience sees you having fun then they will too and that’s the secret to success.

After every radio taping, the performers come together for the Arts Leadership Orientation to explore how they can use their talent and passion to make a difference in their communities and the world.

The performers on the St. Paul show named themselves the “Louisasota Zirths” – a play on the two states represented (10 performers from MN, 1 from LA) and the names of two inspiring teachers. They decided to choreograph their group photo and video around the piano, which was only fitting since it was a piano-themed show. Check out On the Road with Joanne Robinson for more info about the show.

The St. Paul Performers

Check out their group video:

Here are some of their thoughts about arts leadership, captured during a group writing exercise:

Arts Leadership is…

“Recognizing that music is a web that connects people together no matter how far apart they are. We may not be able to communicate our feelings through words, but two people from completely different parts of the world could walk away from a concert feeling the same way about it. I guess instead of saying music doesn’t have a language barrier, it would be better to say that it bridges the language barriers.“

“I have organized concerts to raise money for building schools in Afghanistan. I have done this for six years and with the money raised, a school actually has been built in one of the most dangerous provinces of Afghanistan. So now the girls can feel safer and appreciated.”

“Our trio put (a benefit concert) together for Haiti – it was really fun, plus it felt great to contribute to people’s lives in such a big way.”

“Reaching out to kids who don’t have the same opportunities that we do and trying to do what we can to make those opportunities accessible to others. You can learn a lot about yourself through teaching and get better and better at working with kids.”

“Becoming involved in the community and inspiring people to appreciate the arts.”

“Taking a stand- supporting your ideas and dreams with action!”

The performers also created individual leadership maps, charting their past experiences, future dreams and the leadership qualities most important to them.

Be sure to tune in when their show airs the week of October 4th to hear more from these inspiring arts leaders!

We have been avidly following the progress of Musical Diplomacy, the brainchild of From the Top’s Margaret Stewart Lindsay Arts Leadership Grant recipients Brian Kaufman and Michael Reichman. After an entire year of planning and organizing, their dream of using music to bring together leading policymakers, teachers, musicians, and concerned citizens was finally realized at the Fenway Center Auditorium on May 14. The event demonstrated both musical excellence and creative design, and was very well-received. We sat down with the two after the performance to reflect on the memories and values gleaned from their yearlong journey.

Brian after conducting Bernstein's "Symphonic Dances from West Side Story" (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: What have you learned during the course of developing Musical Diplomacy?

Brian: We learned a tremendous amount. We learned about what we’re capable of as artists, as individuals, what we have the ability to do if we put our mind to it. We learned a lot about how to put something together, how to organize things, and how to get a community excited about something. The whole thing was challenging—there was no part of it that was a walk in the park! There was constant negotiating, adjusting, and modifying original plans. To do something like this, you have to be really flexible.

Michael: What we learned is that if you have an idea and a passion, and hope to see it through, you can make it happen. There is no end to the possibilities of what you can do. No one had done what we did before at the conservatory, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t take something to the next level. For any artist out there, don’t let the world stop you from doing something that really interests you. It sounds so corny, but if you dream big, there is no end to the possibilities. This doesn’t mean that we’re going to be performing in front of three million people at Woodstock, but it does mean that this distant dream of a year ago has now become a reality, and we couldn’t be more thrilled about that. Anybody could do this.

Michael after conducting Jason Belcher's "Concerto for Improvisers and Orchestra" (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: So this being your second year of Musical Diplomacy, what new ideas emerged?

Michael: Last year what was novel about what we did was that we had a concert plus a discussion. We did that again this year, but it was also with additional effects, such as the audio clips, lighting changes, and seating changes – all things that enhanced the overall aesthetic of the concert and the musical experience. It’s about how you can change the expectations of what classical music can do, and how the music can be effective in ways that people never had thought of before. Your expectations of what classical music is can be quite broad and can be a lot of different things. It’s not just about sitting and listening; it’s about where it takes you from there.

Brian: In a standard classical concert, when the music starts the magic starts but when it stops it ends. Daniel (Daniel Bernard Roumain, or DBR) was open to any ideas that we had, but the audio clips were one that he liked that we could actually do. The lighting changes we did really made an impact as well. We went from all the lights up with the Bernstein to all the lights off for Caroline Park’s piece, a much smaller piece. This was very effective for people since it was such a big difference in aesthetic between the two pieces, and the lighting matched that difference.

Michael: The things that happened that we didn’t expect or anticipate, and ended up planning only a few days before, were a lot of these new aesthetic ideas that Daniel had suggested: an unorthodox concert dress, or in his words “dress like you are going to be on MTV,” and having some sort of creative transition between pieces so that the audience is constantly being engaged and stimulated in some way. The idea is that the concert experience should completely seamless.

(photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: How has this project related to your experience and education at NEC?

Michael: We served as conductors and music directors for this project, so we did everything from the musical preparation of score study to the logistical preparation of recruiting ensemble personnel, securing rehearsal locations, etc. That is all very much a part of what we did at the conservatory, outside this project. We’re using all those skills. NEC has begun a crusade to start an “entrepreneurial musicianship” program, and the NEC President is very gung ho about this idea of educating NEC musicians to be entrepreneurs. That goes along with not just being good artists, but knowing how to “think outside the box” on ways you can contribute to the community, wherever that community is. That just so happens to be what we’re already doing! So that ties into our education in that respect.

Brian: There was an incredible overall sense of accomplishment with everything we did. Michael and I talked about how this concert was, in many ways, a synthesis of the learning that we have done over our whole education, not just our two years at NEC. All of the organizational things: raising money, getting Daniel involved with the project, having Gunther Schuller on the panel discussion, having From the Top become a part of the project, getting 85 students to freely volunteer their time, having interest from the faculty at New England Conservatory, having the entire Conservatory come together between marketing and faculty and staff, all of these were really helpful and positive things.

(photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: How did you feel about the post-concert panel discussion?

Michael: It didn’t go quite as we had previously expected, and of course that had to do with a lot of last-minute replacements on the panel that happened the week of. You can formulate panel questions you would like the discussion to revolve around, but panelists feel things in the moment. Both Daniel and Donnie Perkins prefaced their speeches by saying, “I was going to talk about this, but having had this experience I feel compelled to say these things.” The format was having each panelist speak for about 8 – 10 minutes each, and then open it up for questions. I think one thing that we might want to consider doing differently for a similar formula in an event like this is to maybe have very specific questions asked by the moderator to specific panelists. That way, it becomes immediately more like a dialogue rather than a series of speeches. The momentum and the energy would be a little bit more kinetic and gets the audience a more engaged. It would also hopefully leave room for the audience to ask more questions, since we only had time for 2 questions from the audience.

Brian: This whole idea of music in and of itself, this idea that it transcends words and represents an idea that we cannot with words, is really powerful. I think it can be a powerful thing to react to that and discuss it: what did we get from that? How does it shape our thoughts? The idea of discussion is important, and the interaction between people is really important. As we move forward to do this in the future, we can begin thinking about how we can guide that discussion and make it as fruitful as possible.

Michael: The important thing for us to keep in mind is that we’re not political activists with an agenda or an idea to get across. For us, it was about guiding the discussion in a direction that made sure we were talking about where we are in our country culturally now that we have a non-white president. It was interesting that the conversation went in many different directions from that. Perhaps changing the format will make sure that not only is the interaction a little more lively between the panelists and the audience, but that the questions and issues that we intended to have raised in the event are, and that less gets left untouched.

Daniel Bernard Roumain conducting his piece, "Symphony for the Dancefloor" (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: There was a powerful moment in the discussion when an audience member challenged the panel on the issue of affirmative action. How do you think that affected what followed?

Michael: I think Daniel’s response to the question was an appropriate response, and that he responded to it as a musician and not as somebody who has his own political opinions or social opinions. It’s important that when you are trying to do an event like this to keep in perspective your perspective: I am reflecting and raising these issues as an artist. We are talking about America and the effects of racial integration culturally. We are asking “where are we in this country culturally?” We’re keeping in perspective how we’re asking the questions and who is asking the questions. I think it was good Daniel answered the question as a musician.

Brian: He didn’t just dismiss the guy for his anger, either. He really identified with his viewpoint by saying: “I understand where you are coming from, I don’t agree with you. Here are some things that I think differently, but I do understand where you’re coming from. There are parts of my experience that I cannot connect with where your experiences are, because I’ve had different experiences.” At the same time he was saying he didn’t agree, he was giving the guy’s argument value and understanding, which was really powerful. He wasn’t knocking the guy for his anger or his view, he was saying your voice is just as important a voice as any other voice, and it deserves to be heard just as much as any of the rest of us, as any of the five of us sitting up here right now (the panel).

DBR (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: What do you see in the future of this project?

Brian: Personally, I see someone giving us a $200 million grant to continue doing this. I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but I have my fingers crossed!

Michael: I think we have tapped somewhat of a niche market. Nobody is exactly doing what we’re doing in this way. We would want to continue doing projects like this—not necessarily in a concert plus discussion format, but projects that take music and set it in an illuminating context. In other words, taking art and getting people to think about it in a different way and continuing to produce events that do that.

Brian: We’ve both found that we have an interest and a passion for this kind of thing. We’re looking to keep that as a central part of what we do after NEC. In more detail, we’re looking to set up an organization that would put on these kinds of events, potentially a nonprofit.

Michael: It is definitely something we want to move forward with, and to keep thinking of new ways to be creative and enhance that concert experience, whether that be from the audience member’s perspective or from the performer’s perspective. Diplomacy through concert plus discussion only has to be one medium for that. It can take a lot of different forms, a lot of different concerts, and lot of different styles with the importance being that it’s wonderful music getting people engaged and enhancing the way they see and experience music.

Panelists Robert Gittens, Donnie Perkins, William Lowe, and DBR (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: Do you ever see it expanding beyond music and incorporating other arts?

Brian: Absolutely! I think collaboration is at the core of what we are doing. There are so many artists that are already part of this idea and that are doing things relevant to what we are thinking, and they would probably be really interested in being a part of this. The Internet is another way to make this available to everyone right away.

From the Top: Based on how this most recent experience went, what is the ideal picture you could paint for Musical Diplomacy?

Michael: Our name right now is Musical Diplomacy, and the key word to that is “music”. It’s all about making sure that the music gets you thinking or affects the way that you experience “fill in the blank.” It’s about how we can get music to get people thinking about the world around them differently. That’s the big mission, that’s what musical diplomacy is all about. The best success for us would be hearing: “Bernstein, that’s such a great piece and I’ve loved it all my life, but I never thought of it that way. Any time I listen to that music I am now going to think about it differently. And the next time I hear Barack Obama speak or Jesse Jackson or anybody in that sort of activism, I’m going to think about it differently because the music affected the way that I see this issue and how the issue either transcends or doesn’t.”

Brian: We are really interested in expanding on this idea of music as a platform for addressing social issues. It’s a really compelling idea that could make a huge difference and a huge impact for a lot communities and a lot of people. Aside from the concert and discussion, the question is that within this context of Musical Diplomacy how can we connect people to these ideas? What educational components can we bring in? How can we engage people in high school or middle school with this idea? How can we engage other communities? How can we bring this idea outside of Boston and into other parts of the country?

Panelist Gunther Schuller (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: What advice would you give to younger musicians who are interested in getting involved in their communities and are inspired to do something similar?

Brian: Try to identify the components of what you’re trying to do. Once you do that, get advice from people who are good at those individual components. We’ve been very lucky. Even though we’re receiving credit for putting this concert together, we had a tremendous amount of help. The good news is that there are a lot of people out there who want to help you. You’re not alone in this. Whether it’s your teachers or other people in your community, I guarantee there are people out there who will help you with whatever you want to do. One example at NEC: we had to raise money for our project, and we were applying for grants. We were directed towards the grant writer for NEC and met with him. We explained what we were doing, showed him drafts of our grant proposals, and he gave us feedback. Asking advice from someone is almost the best form of flattery you can give them. Don’t feel like you can’t ask. Always, always ask! Most people would love to sit down and help you in any way they can.

Michael: I think that’s the biggest thing: ask for advice. You don’t even have to have a completely concrete idea. If you’re really passionate about something and you have an idea, talk to your teachers and your mentors. Tell them about your idea and ask whom else you could approach to get advice. Take those names and then ask them for advice. It continues from there.  You’ll start developing really good rapports and relationships and a support system. That’s all you need. As we were developing our network at NEC, Tanya Maggi, the Director of the Community Performances Partnerships Program at NEC, came across From the Top’s Margaret Stewart Lindsay Arts Leadership Grant. All because we asked somebody for advice!

(photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: What does it mean to be an artist in today’s world?

Brian: Especially in classical music, there aren’t that many jobs out there. Being a 21st century musician is about being resourceful and using all of your skills, and not necessarily just musical skills. That could mean teaching, performing, or putting your own projects together. For us, being relevant and part of a community is really important, and it’s part of being a 21st century musician. To go along with that, you have to have a broad view of what being “successful” is. Don’t limit your idea of success to being a violin player in an orchestra, and that’s it. You’ll miss out on a lot if you do.

Michael: I went to a conducting workshop, and one of the speakers during a career seminar said, “there are no such things as jobs, only opportunities.” As a young artist or musician, that (along with asking for advice) is a powerful idea that you can take away. It’s all about forging your own career. You can create anything you want, and if you have a passion for it, you can find a group of people that will help you. That’s almost as important as honing your craft at a conservatory. Look at your education as training for the various opportunities with which you’re going to create for yourself. With this attitude, artists (any student, really, in any field of education) would look at their careers differently, and, I think, for the better. Everybody has something to contribute to society; it’s just a matter of figuring that out. If you see your education as a way to create your own opportunities and not just apply for a job, it will have a monumental impact on your outlook.

Brian: You can also think about it as being a contribution with your art. That changes the way you approach what you do. Art isn’t about you; it’s about contributing something.

(photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

This is the final installment of our Musical Diplomacy series on The Green Room. We will keep you posted on future developments and proposals with the project!

We have been avidly following the progress of Musical Diplomacy, the brainchild of From the Top’s Margaret Stewart Lindsay Arts Leadership Grant recipients Brian Kaufman and Michael Reichman. After an entire year of planning and organizing, their dream of using music to bring together leading policymakers, teachers, musicians, and concerned citizens was finally realized at the Fenway Center Auditorium on May 14. The event demonstrated both musical excellence and creative design, and was very well-received. We sat down with the two after the performance to reflect on the memories and values gleaned from their yearlong journey.

Brian after conducting Bernstein's "Symphonic Dances from West Side Story" (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: What have you learned during the course of developing Musical Diplomacy?

Brian: We learned a tremendous amount. We learned about what we’re capable of as artists, as individuals, what we have the ability to do if we put our mind to it. We learned a lot about how to put something together, how to organize things, and how to get a community excited about something. The whole thing was challenging—there was no part of it that was a walk in the park! There was constant negotiating, adjusting, and modifying original plans. To do something like this, you have to be really flexible.

Michael: What we learned is that if you have an idea and a passion, and hope to see it through, you can make it happen. There is no end to the possibilities of what you can do. No one had done what we did before at the conservatory, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t take something to the next level. For any artist out there, don’t let the world stop you from doing something that really interests you. It sounds so corny, but if you dream big, there is no end to the possibilities. This doesn’t mean that we’re going to be performing in front of three million people at Woodstock, but it does mean that this distant dream of a year ago has now become a reality, and we couldn’t be more thrilled about that. Anybody could do this.

Michael after conducting Jason Belcher's "Concerto for Improvisers and Orchestra" (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: So this being your second year of Musical Diplomacy, what new ideas emerged?

Michael: Last year what was novel about what we did was that we had a concert plus a discussion. We did that again this year, but it was also with additional effects, such as the audio clips, lighting changes, and seating changes – all things that enhanced the overall aesthetic of the concert and the musical experience. It’s about how you can change the expectations of what classical music can do, and how the music can be effective in ways that people never had thought of before. Your expectations of what classical music is can be quite broad and can be a lot of different things. It’s not just about sitting and listening; it’s about where it takes you from there.

Brian: In a standard classical concert, when the music starts the magic starts but when it stops it ends. Daniel (Daniel Bernard Roumain, or DBR) was open to any ideas that we had, but the audio clips were one that he liked that we could actually do. The lighting changes we did really made an impact as well. We went from all the lights up with the Bernstein to all the lights off for Caroline Park’s piece, a much smaller piece. This was very effective for people since it was such a big difference in aesthetic between the two pieces, and the lighting matched that difference.

Michael: The things that happened that we didn’t expect or anticipate, and ended up planning only a few days before, were a lot of these new aesthetic ideas that Daniel had suggested: an unorthodox concert dress, or in his words “dress like you are going to be on MTV,” and having some sort of creative transition between pieces so that the audience is constantly being engaged and stimulated in some way. The idea is that the concert experience should completely seamless.

(photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: How has this project related to your experience and education at NEC?

Michael: We served as conductors and music directors for this project, so we did everything from the musical preparation of score study to the logistical preparation of recruiting ensemble personnel, securing rehearsal locations, etc. That is all very much a part of what we did at the conservatory, outside this project. We’re using all those skills. NEC has begun a crusade to start an “entrepreneurial musicianship” program, and the NEC President is very gung ho about this idea of educating NEC musicians to be entrepreneurs. That goes along with not just being good artists, but knowing how to “think outside the box” on ways you can contribute to the community, wherever that community is. That just so happens to be what we’re already doing! So that ties into our education in that respect.

Brian: There was an incredible overall sense of accomplishment with everything we did. Michael and I talked about how this concert was, in many ways, a synthesis of the learning that we have done over our whole education, not just our two years at NEC. All of the organizational things: raising money, getting Daniel involved with the project, having Gunther Schuller on the panel discussion, having From the Top become a part of the project, getting 85 students to freely volunteer their time, having interest from the faculty at New England Conservatory, having the entire Conservatory come together between marketing and faculty and staff, all of these were really helpful and positive things.

(photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: How did you feel about the post-concert panel discussion?

Michael: It didn’t go quite as we had previously expected, and of course that had to do with a lot of last-minute replacements on the panel that happened the week of. You can formulate panel questions you would like the discussion to revolve around, but panelists feel things in the moment. Both Daniel and Donnie Perkins prefaced their speeches by saying, “I was going to talk about this, but having had this experience I feel compelled to say these things.” The format was having each panelist speak for about 8 – 10 minutes each, and then open it up for questions. I think one thing that we might want to consider doing differently for a similar formula in an event like this is to maybe have very specific questions asked by the moderator to specific panelists. That way, it becomes immediately more like a dialogue rather than a series of speeches. The momentum and the energy would be a little bit more kinetic and gets the audience a more engaged. It would also hopefully leave room for the audience to ask more questions, since we only had time for 2 questions from the audience.

Brian: This whole idea of music in and of itself, this idea that it transcends words and represents an idea that we cannot with words, is really powerful. I think it can be a powerful thing to react to that and discuss it: what did we get from that? How does it shape our thoughts? The idea of discussion is important, and the interaction between people is really important. As we move forward to do this in the future, we can begin thinking about how we can guide that discussion and make it as fruitful as possible.

Michael: The important thing for us to keep in mind is that we’re not political activists with an agenda or an idea to get across. For us, it was about guiding the discussion in a direction that made sure we were talking about where we are in our country culturally now that we have a non-white president. It was interesting that the conversation went in many different directions from that. Perhaps changing the format will make sure that not only is the interaction a little more lively between the panelists and the audience, but that the questions and issues that we intended to have raised in the event are, and that less gets left untouched.

Daniel Bernard Roumain conducting his piece, "Symphony for the Dancefloor" (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: There was a powerful moment in the discussion when an audience member challenged the panel on the issue of affirmative action. How do you think that affected what followed?

Michael: I think Daniel’s response to the question was an appropriate response, and that he responded to it as a musician and not as somebody who has his own political opinions or social opinions. It’s important that when you are trying to do an event like this to keep in perspective your perspective: I am reflecting and raising these issues as an artist. We are talking about America and the effects of racial integration culturally. We are asking “where are we in this country culturally?” We’re keeping in perspective how we’re asking the questions and who is asking the questions. I think it was good Daniel answered the question as a musician.

Brian: He didn’t just dismiss the guy for his anger, either. He really identified with his viewpoint by saying: “I understand where you are coming from, I don’t agree with you. Here are some things that I think differently, but I do understand where you’re coming from. There are parts of my experience that I cannot connect with where your experiences are, because I’ve had different experiences.” At the same time he was saying he didn’t agree, he was giving the guy’s argument value and understanding, which was really powerful. He wasn’t knocking the guy for his anger or his view, he was saying your voice is just as important a voice as any other voice, and it deserves to be heard just as much as any of the rest of us, as any of the five of us sitting up here right now (the panel).

DBR (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: What do you see in the future of this project?

Brian: Personally, I see someone giving us a $200 million grant to continue doing this. I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but I have my fingers crossed!

Michael: I think we have tapped somewhat of a niche market. Nobody is exactly doing what we’re doing in this way. We would want to continue doing projects like this—not necessarily in a concert plus discussion format, but projects that take music and set it in an illuminating context. In other words, taking art and getting people to think about it in a different way and continuing to produce events that do that.

Brian: We’ve both found that we have an interest and a passion for this kind of thing. We’re looking to keep that as a central part of what we do after NEC. In more detail, we’re looking to set up an organization that would put on these kinds of events, potentially a nonprofit.

Michael: It is definitely something we want to move forward with, and to keep thinking of new ways to be creative and enhance that concert experience, whether that be from the audience member’s perspective or from the performer’s perspective. Diplomacy through concert plus discussion only has to be one medium for that. It can take a lot of different forms, a lot of different concerts, and lot of different styles with the importance being that it’s wonderful music getting people engaged and enhancing the way they see and experience music.

Panelists Robert Gittens, Donnie Perkins, William Lowe, and DBR (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: Do you ever see it expanding beyond music and incorporating other arts?

Brian: Absolutely! I think collaboration is at the core of what we are doing. There are so many artists that are already part of this idea and that are doing things relevant to what we are thinking, and they would probably be really interested in being a part of this. The Internet is another way to make this available to everyone right away.

From the Top: Based on how this most recent experience went, what is the ideal picture you could paint for Musical Diplomacy?

Michael: Our name right now is Musical Diplomacy, and the key word to that is “music”. It’s all about making sure that the music gets you thinking or affects the way that you experience “fill in the blank.” It’s about how we can get music to get people thinking about the world around them differently. That’s the big mission, that’s what musical diplomacy is all about. The best success for us would be hearing: “Bernstein, that’s such a great piece and I’ve loved it all my life, but I never thought of it that way. Any time I listen to that music I am now going to think about it differently. And the next time I hear Barack Obama speak or Jesse Jackson or anybody in that sort of activism, I’m going to think about it differently because the music affected the way that I see this issue and how the issue either transcends or doesn’t.”

Brian: We are really interested in expanding on this idea of music as a platform for addressing social issues. It’s a really compelling idea that could make a huge difference and a huge impact for a lot communities and a lot of people. Aside from the concert and discussion, the question is that within this context of Musical Diplomacy how can we connect people to these ideas? What educational components can we bring in? How can we engage people in high school or middle school with this idea? How can we engage other communities? How can we bring this idea outside of Boston and into other parts of the country?

Panelist Gunther Schuller (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: What advice would you give to younger musicians who are interested in getting involved in their communities and are inspired to do something similar?

Brian: Try to identify the components of what you’re trying to do. Once you do that, get advice from people who are good at those individual components. We’ve been very lucky. Even though we’re receiving credit for putting this concert together, we had a tremendous amount of help. The good news is that there are a lot of people out there who want to help you. You’re not alone in this. Whether it’s your teachers or other people in your community, I guarantee there are people out there who will help you with whatever you want to do. One example at NEC: we had to raise money for our project, and we were applying for grants. We were directed towards the grant writer for NEC and met with him. We explained what we were doing, showed him drafts of our grant proposals, and he gave us feedback. Asking advice from someone is almost the best form of flattery you can give them. Don’t feel like you can’t ask. Always, always ask! Most people would love to sit down and help you in any way they can.

Michael: I think that’s the biggest thing: ask for advice. You don’t even have to have a completely concrete idea. If you’re really passionate about something and you have an idea, talk to your teachers and your mentors. Tell them about your idea and ask whom else you could approach to get advice. Take those names and then ask them for advice. It continues from there.  You’ll start developing really good rapports and relationships and a support system. That’s all you need. As we were developing our network at NEC, Tanya Maggi, the Director of the Community Performances Partnerships Program at NEC, came across From the Top’s Margaret Stewart Lindsay Arts Leadership Grant. All because we asked somebody for advice!

(photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: What does it mean to be an artist in today’s world?

Brian: Especially in classical music, there aren’t that many jobs out there. Being a 21st century musician is about being resourceful and using all of your skills, and not necessarily just musical skills. That could mean teaching, performing, or putting your own projects together. For us, being relevant and part of a community is really important, and it’s part of being a 21st century musician. To go along with that, you have to have a broad view of what being “successful” is. Don’t limit your idea of success to being a violin player in an orchestra, and that’s it. You’ll miss out on a lot if you do.

Michael: I went to a conducting workshop, and one of the speakers during a career seminar said, “there are no such things as jobs, only opportunities.” As a young artist or musician, that (along with asking for advice) is a powerful idea that you can take away. It’s all about forging your own career. You can create anything you want, and if you have a passion for it, you can find a group of people that will help you. That’s almost as important as honing your craft at a conservatory. Look at your education as training for the various opportunities with which you’re going to create for yourself. With this attitude, artists (any student, really, in any field of education) would look at their careers differently, and, I think, for the better. Everybody has something to contribute to society; it’s just a matter of figuring that out. If you see your education as a way to create your own opportunities and not just apply for a job, it will have a monumental impact on your outlook.

Brian: You can also think about it as being a contribution with your art. That changes the way you approach what you do. Art isn’t about you; it’s about contributing something.

(photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

This is the final installment of our Musical Diplomacy series on The Green Room. We will keep you posted on future developments and proposals with the project!

This week in Links we Like, we observe the role that classical music can play in diplomacy and making a difference. Whether it be defending the importance of music education or supporting a political movement, music serves as a powerful catalyst for uniting people and ideas behind a cause.

Also, as a little side note, today is Mahler’s 150th anniversary! Click here to enjoy an excerpt from his 7th Symphony with the Lucerne Festival and Claudio Abbado.

The Cost of Freedom: The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, with former New York Philharmonic director Zubin Mehta, gave a performance at the end of June advocating the release of Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit. The concert observed the fourth anniversary of Shalit’s capture by the Hamas, and was accompanied by a 12-day march of thousands of protestors demanding for his release. The concert program consisted of works by Mozart, Albinoni, Verdi, and Beethoven as well as two popular Israeli songs with singer Shlomo Artzi. To read more about the performance, click here.

Zubin Mehta with the Israel Philharmonic (courtesy of operachic.typepad.com)

Collaboration for Education: The “Queen of Soul” herself, Aretha Franklin, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will stage a joint benefit performance at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts on July 27, 2010. The program’s selections will range from Mozart to “R-E-S-P-E-C-T,” and will be accompanied by the Philadelphia Orchestra with Rossen Milanov. Proceeds from the performance will go towards educational incentives and programs for the inner city youth of Philadelphia. Click here to read more about the concert.

(photo courtesy of www.guardian.co.uk)

The Show Must Go On: Amid the hardships of orchestras nationwide in a hard-pressed economy, one orchestra makes a comeback. The North Carolina Symphony met its goal of $8 million; the amount needed to stay afloat at the end of their fiscal year. A myriad of support from over 4,000 donors as well as a benefit concert helped bring the orchestra back to its feet. To read more about the NC Symphony and its road to recovery, click here.

North Carolina Symphony Director Grant Llewellyn (photo courtesy of news.ncdcr.gov)

Arts Leadership is an important part of From the Top’s experience for young musicians. We encourage all our performers to give back to their communities through their music. Sahun “Sam” Hong who performed on Show #206 in Dallas, Texas, has been doing Arts Leadership outreach continually since his show taped in November, 2009.  He’s setting a great example! On June 22, 2010 Sam will play a recital in Longhorn Auditorium at Trinity Terrace for all of the residents.

Here’s a quick photo recap of his work since November:

On December 1, 2009, Sam performed for all of the fifth grade students at Tanglewood Elementary School in Fort Worth.

Sam performing between showings of the award-winning documentary of the 2009 Cliburn Competition, "A Surprise in Texas

Sam and Van Cliburn at "A Surprise in Texas" showing

Sam performing at Trinity Terrace Retirement Home in Fort Worth. He visits the residents once a week to play solo piano, accompany them singing, and do some magic tricks. This is on the second floor for residents who are unable to get out.

Sam performs for elementary students at The Cambridge School in San Diego on June 3, 2010.

Arts Leadership is an important part of From the Top’s experience for young musicians. We encourage all our performers to give back to their communities through their music. Sahun “Sam” Hong who performed on Show #206 in Dallas, Texas, has been doing Arts Leadership outreach continually since his show taped in November, 2009.  He’s setting a great example! On June 22, 2010 Sam will play a recital in Longhorn Auditorium at Trinity Terrace for all of the residents.

Here’s a quick photo recap of his work since November:

On December 1, 2009, Sam performed for all of the fifth grade students at Tanglewood Elementary School in Fort Worth.

Sam performing between showings of the award-winning documentary of the 2009 Cliburn Competition, "A Surprise in Texas

Sam and Van Cliburn at "A Surprise in Texas" showing

Sam performing at Trinity Terrace Retirement Home in Fort Worth. He visits the residents once a week to play solo piano, accompany them singing, and do some magic tricks. This is on the second floor for residents who are unable to get out.

Sam performs for elementary students at The Cambridge School in San Diego on June 3, 2010.

We have been following Margaret Stewart Lindsay Arts Leadership Award recipients Michael Reichman and Brian Kaufman for quite some time now on their emerging concert series, Musical Diplomacy. Their most recent event was this May at the Fenway Center, and was titled A Concert and Discussion on Race and Culture in the Age of Obama. Our blog has included a feature on the program (as written by Brian and Michael), an interview with the two, and a feature on composer Daniel Bernard Roumain, whose participation in the event provided both musical and inspirational energy. His composition, Symphony for the Dance Floor, was the electric finale of the May 14th performance.

We would now like to take this opportunity to introduce to another composer who was involved with Musical Diplomacy: Jason Belcher. Jason recently received his Bachelor’s of Music from New England Conservatory (NEC) in Contemporary Improvisation and Jazz Studies, and will be returning in the Fall to purse his Masters in Composition. We sat down with Jason to discuss his involvement with the event and his perspective on diplomacy in music:

When/how did you first learn about Musical Diplomacy (MD)?

I first learned about MD soon after Derek David and Albert Oppenheimer were finishing their pieces for the first MD event last year. I hadn’t known Brian and Michael too well then, but loved that they put the event together. It was a presentation built around current events, new music, and bringing a lot of minds together, and that’s a great thing.

Why did you want to be involved? How does this project connect to your own mission as an artist?

When they asked me to write a piece last year (around this time), I knew that I wanted to contribute to their next production right away. I knew that I could also get folks from the Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation departments involved (which fit the subject perfectly).

My mission was (and is) to bring together people from all kinds of musical paths and backgrounds to contribute to a greater whole. I feel that this is relative to American history, our advancements as a country, and also the advancements of NEC as a musical institution. I feel like there’s a lot of research going on here in terms of the way various people (students, faculty, and staff alike) are working, and the ways that we can work together. Just when I feel I’ve figured something out, a new bunch of people come along, give me a new set of tools, and the things we come up with are always rising to a new level.

How did your piece connect to the overall mission of Musical Diplomacy? What was your hope for the evening in terms of what the audience took away from the experience?

Race and Culture in the Age of Obama: One of the first things I did when I knew I’d be writing this piece was to go on the web, and look up interviews with our President. One of them was a short clip called “Jazz in the White House.” We see Obama say something like “We are going to have Science in the White House…Jazz in the White House.”

In the video the music that those kids are shown playing is closely related to other urban styles of music. It was a great example of an integration of people and cultures, and I knew I had to do something to contribute to M.D that dealt with music in that way.

Do you think the event as a whole was successful?

Yes. The musical program covered so many bases all relating to the subject. I really loved the program, and am happy to have had a premiere alongside Caroline and Daniel.

Brian and Michael also found a way to acknowledge the theatrical side of things by linking performances with recordings that we had made of ourselves, or others. I wasn’t too sure about that at first (I hate hearing my own recorded voice) but it really worked.

courtesy of Jesse Weiner

What are your thoughts on the discussion/panel component, including the pre-concert discussion at NEC – how did this contribute to the experience for you as a participant? For the audience?

The panelists at the concert, and their stories were wonderful. However, I preferred last year’s panel discussion over this one for a couple reasons. Last year, there was some opposition and differing views from within the panel. Everyone on this year’s panel had different experiences, but they all seemed to agree with each other. Also, there was much more conversation between the panelists last year. I was not terribly disappointed, but those are some things that I thought the panel could have been further strengthened by.

I enjoyed the diversity of the panel at NEC, and the wide range of sub-topics they covered when dealing with race. Here is another example of inter-departmental work that is fantastic, and needs to continue in other ways.

Did this inspire you to think about your work or role as an artist differently or inspire any new ideas?

It was incredible to hear my work being played by a large group of people. I personally don’t like a lot of political things associated with orchestras – it’s kind of like sports teams with coaches (or in this case, conductors) and players that are over-payed, and talked about way too much. However, I think that this is a vehicle that I can work with a little better in the future, by developing an individual way of writing for the orchestra, as many others have. If you look at every century, the orchestra has changed, and I don’t think that the 21st is an exception. The American Composer’s Orchestra, their commissions, and ideas were an inspiration to me while I was writing this work.

As far as the event itself goes, the diversity of the music, everyone involved in the production, and everyone in the audience made me very excited. It makes me proud to be where I am. It says “Look at all we have to work with here.”

I understand that you’ve started a community music series, can you tell us more about that? (what, why, who, how)

Here at NEC, we have a variety of programs that are known for being some of the best in the country. However, what you don’t hear is that those programs can (and sometimes do) collaborate. We’re all in the same boat, but largely in different quarters as far as the administration is concerned.
Because of the logistics involved, it’s hard for the school to organize inter-departmental forums and activities, but I wanted to find students, faculty, and alums who are interested doing cross-departmental work. I did a lot of talking to different people, had a few open reading sessions (of work suited to any musician/instrument etc.), and now there’s a core of about 30-40 people who have been involved in an off-campus series.

Next year, I’d like to begin working with students from other schools, and produce an interdisciplinary series. In the next few weeks, I’m planning to meet with students from Longy, Mass Art, Harvard, and Tufts. I’ve had a lot of help from other students in getting ideas and organizing for the series, and we’ve agreed that this is the next best step.

courtesy of Jesse Weiner

This article is a continuation of our Musical Diplomacy series. Stay tuned for our final interview with Michael and Brian to see their perspective on the event’s success!

From the Top’s Arts Leadership Program is all about young artists using their talent and passion to make a difference in the world.  Every show is new and different, bringing together a diverse group of musicians with a wide range of experiences – that’s what makes it so exciting!  The Arts Leadership Orientation, held the morning after every radio taping, is an opportunity to share and explore those experiences, share From the Tops’s mission of service, and build a community of inspiring arts leaders.

After taping an amazing show at the Gettysburg Festival in Gettysburg, PA, all seven performers and our education team gathered in a beautiful, sun-filled conference room on the Gettysburg College campus to reflect on their experience and explore ways to give back through music.

The performers chose one of the unique outdoor sculptures scattered across the beautiful campus for their group photo.

The Gettysburg Show Performers

The group participated in an exercise called “chalk talk”  (basically a group conversation done in writing) to explore what Arts Leadership means to them, and boiled it down to these key ideas:

Arts Leadership is…

• Sharing the importance of the arts, even when others criticize you
• Sharing your love for what you do
• Bringing your community closer together
• Being a role model

At the end of the session, the group was charged with making a 30 second video that captured their experience on From the Top, they named themselves the “Razzle Dazzle Kings”. Here’s their message below:

“Sharing your love for what you do, is the goal of the Razzle Dazzle Crew.”

And if you like that, stay tuned for the debut of the first-ever From the Top rap, courtesy of the Emerald String Quartet members. Be sure to tune in when their show airs, the week of September 20th.

We just got a neat update from composer Daniel Bernard Roumain (aka DBR).  A few weeks ago we featured a blog he wrote on Musical Diplomacy and Good, Long Hugs.  These days he’s been collaborating with the Boston Pops to work with young musicians in Boston area schools.  Check out this video for an overview of his educational philosophy (and some really cool uses of the violin).

We just got a neat update from composer Daniel Bernard Roumain (aka DBR).  A few weeks ago we featured a blog he wrote on Musical Diplomacy and Good, Long Hugs.  These days he’s been collaborating with the Boston Pops to work with young musicians in Boston area schools.  Check out this video for an overview of his educational philosophy (and some really cool uses of the violin).

The sky’s the limit when it comes to the Andover-Lawrence Strings Program of the Philips Academy. They just had their final student performance of the 2009/2010 school year, wrapping up yet another successful season for the 14-year old educational program. We last reported on their progress back in April following a collaborative performance with their program and FTT alumni. Having recently been awarded From the Top’s Margaret Stewart Lindsey Arts Leadership Award, they are already making plans for the 2010/2011 school year.

Through the From the Top grant, they plan to purchase new materials to broaden their music theory curriculum and will be adding an adult mentor to help train student teachers for the program. These changes would not have been possible were it not for student coordinator Jacob Shack’s decision to apply for the grant, which you can read about here. Jacob graduated from the Academy this past May and plans to attend Harvard in the fall. As such, the program will now be under the guidance of new student coordinator and upcoming senior Madeleine Tucker. We asked Maddie to introduce herself on our blog and share her thoughts about the program:

Hi! This is Madeleine (Maddie) Tucker, and I am a rising senior at Phillips Academy, Andover. Next year, I will be taking over Jacob’s position as coordinator of the Andover-Lawrence String Program. As a cellist myself, the group of young cello students in the ALS program is very special to me. Although the group consists of a mere number of approximately eight students, over 25 career possibilities are represented. They range from singer to artist to comic writer to rapper, clown, dancer, and even includes a potential professional video gamer. This combination of so many different types of people working together might seem unlikely; I certainly thought it was, until we began having occasional group cello classes. Imagine a classical music lesson with eight diametrically opposing viewpoints…One week, for example, previous From the Top cellist Bobby Chen and I tuned down the G and C strings of their cellos and taught them the beginning of the third movement of Kodaly’s Cello Sonata. The kids only achieved learning the first few measures, but the experience was exciting all the same.

Maddie with cello student Paoli and FTT alum, Bobby Chen

Though it is sad that the year is over, the good news is that nearly all of the students will return next year. I will miss them over the summer, but the teachers and students truly deserve a break; both have been working hard!

Just last week, Andover-Lawrence Strings had its final concert of the year. Gathered together in the large Chapel, parents, siblings, friends, and teachers listened as each student walked up onto the stage to perform one or more(!) pieces on their chosen instrument. By the end of the concert, we had applauded four versions of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, six arrangements of “Marry Had a Little Lamb”, two “Heart and Soul” piano duets, one Harry Potter theme song entitled “Lumos”, and a variety of other songs. It was a great way to end the year.

The 2010/2011 Andover-Lawrence Strings Program season promises to be filled with optimism and dedication. They have truly set the mold for establishing arts leadership within student communities. For more information on the Philips Academy and its success with the Andover-Lawrence Strings Program, visit their website. We will continue to follow their program and will report back on their progress in the fall.

Earlier this week, we introduced you to a pair of young musicians who were successful in raising more than $5,000 for Alzheimer’s research. Today we’re going to give you the scoop on the other projects Iowa musicians are working on through From the Top’s Arts Leadership program.

Hayley Graham

Meet Hayley – a high school clarinetist from Cedar Rapids who is intent on helping middle-school musicians.  As she puts it, “middle school is a difficult time for many students to get excited about music…I hope to re-enforce the foundations that these students are learning, and give them individual attention in hopes of noticing every detail of their playing.” She’s got some great pictures and video up on the Iowa Makes Music blog.

Harin Lee

Harin & Darin Lee – these siblings share a love for music but have two very different projects for revitalizing music in their communities.  Harin decided to spend time at the Emerson Point nursing home to conduct and accompany a chorus and chimes group. He wants “to connect with the tenants through both music and by spending time with them.”  Check out his blog for a couple of nice group pictures.

Darin Lee

Darin has been investigating El Sistema, the revolutionary music education program in Venezuela, and is comparing it to the music ed program in her hometown of  Iowa City/Coralville. She hopes that researching and spreading the word about El Sistema will inspire people to strive for the best in music education.

Kelsey Qu

Kelsey’s number 1 reason for participating in Iowa Makes Music’s Arts Leadership Program is to spread the sound of music to her community.  Her project involves performing her Chinese repertoire on the cello for three different retirement communities, because as she says “one person can make a big difference.”  Read her blog for some memorable quotes and story snippets of the people whose lives she’s impacted.

There’s tons of great information, pictures, and videos from all the Iowa Makes Music kids on their blog, so give it a look!

For the past two years, From the Top and Orchestra Iowa have collaborated on a project called Iowa Makes Music. One component of this residency is our Arts Leadership program, which provides high school age classical musicians with intensive arts leadership training and one-on-one mentoring to help them develop and lead their own music-inspired service projects in their home communities.  We are so impressed with the hard work that our participants have put into their projects. Here’s just one example:

Thomas Burrill, Freshman

When you hear the words “Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert,” you wouldn’t normally think of two high schoolers.  But this year Thomas Burrill (who’s father died over a year ago of the disease) and his friend Linda Xiong have been toiling over an intense project – producing a classical music concert and raising $5,000 for the University of Iowa’s Alzheimer’s research.

This dynamic duo teamed up a couple of months ago and charged full speed ahead with creating an exciting concert and raising $$$.  First order of business? They got the Englert Theater (where From the Top taped a show!) to donate space for the concert.  With one win in the bag, Thomas and Linda set out to create marketing materials, find sponsors, and raise money.

Linda Xiong, Sophomore

The final results? Over 130 concert attendees, 16 sponsors, and $5300 in donations – they surpassed their goal!  One concert-goer came up to Thomas after the show and thanked him for setting an example for “all the folks, young and old, in Iowa”

Linda posted some great clips from the concert and you can read more about how they made this project a success on the Iowa Makes Music blog.

Check back later to hear about some more projects from Iowa youth musicians!

For the past two years, From the Top and Orchestra Iowa have collaborated on a project called Iowa Makes Music. One component of this residency is our Arts Leadership program, which provides high school age classical musicians with intensive arts leadership training and one-on-one mentoring to help them develop and lead their own music-inspired service projects in their home communities.  We are so impressed with the hard work that our participants have put into their projects. Here’s just one example:

Thomas Burrill, Freshman

When you hear the words “Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert,” you wouldn’t normally think of two high schoolers.  But this year Thomas Burrill (who’s father died over a year ago of the disease) and his friend Linda Xiong have been toiling over an intense project – producing a classical music concert and raising $5,000 for the University of Iowa’s Alzheimer’s research.

This dynamic duo teamed up a couple of months ago and charged full speed ahead with creating an exciting concert and raising $$$.  First order of business? They got the Englert Theater (where From the Top taped a show!) to donate space for the concert.  With one win in the bag, Thomas and Linda set out to create marketing materials, find sponsors, and raise money.

Linda Xiong, Sophomore

The final results? Over 130 concert attendees, 16 sponsors, and $5300 in donations – they surpassed their goal!  One concert-goer came up to Thomas after the show and thanked him for setting an example for “all the folks, young and old, in Iowa”

Linda posted some great clips from the concert and you can read more about how they made this project a success on the Iowa Makes Music blog.

Check back later to hear about some more projects from Iowa youth musicians!

From the Top isn’t just about broadcasting phenomenal music.  An integral part of our program is the Arts Leadership Orientation, which follows every performance. What’s that, you ask? The performers gather with From the Top’s Education staff after the show to reflect on their experiences – what were they thinking before the show started? What were their favorite moments during broadcast? How are they feeling now that it’s over? This isn’t just a communication exercise; it really helps the performers bond with each other over their shared experience. And at From the Top, we’re all about growing community!

Aside from the reflection piece, the kids also get to learn more about From the Top’s mission of service and our Arts Leadership program.  As you read from Anna DeLoi’s blog, this can inspire the young musicians to take their talents to the next level and help others around them!

Check out the shout out video below, directed by the performers of Show #216. This group of kids aptly named themselves “Show Awesome” and in a quick 16 seconds you can tell how much fun they had with each other!

From the Top isn’t just about broadcasting phenomenal music.  An integral part of our program is the Arts Leadership Orientation, which follows every performance. What’s that, you ask? The performers gather with From the Top’s Education staff after the show to reflect on their experiences – what were they thinking before the show started? What were their favorite moments during broadcast? How are they feeling now that it’s over? This isn’t just a communication exercise; it really helps the performers bond with each other over their shared experience. And at From the Top, we’re all about growing community!

Aside from the reflection piece, the kids also get to learn more about From the Top’s mission of service and our Arts Leadership program.  As you read from Anna DeLoi’s blog, this can inspire the young musicians to take their talents to the next level and help others around them!

Check out the shout out video below, directed by the performers of Show #216. This group of kids aptly named themselves “Show Awesome” and in a quick 16 seconds you can tell how much fun they had with each other!