Tag: sjm

Lament For A Shuttered Music School, And For The Too-Rare Opportunity It Offered

“A nonprofit on the East Side that partnered with public schools, the [Turtle Bay Music School] announced in November that it would be forced to close due to a lack of funding. The entire conceit of TBMS, summed up in its ​mission statement​, was that every single person should be able to learn an instrument and enjoy making music. That ‘every single person’ part was key — if you couldn’t afford lessons, tuition assistance could help.” – Gothamist

On The Edges Of A Huge South American Landfill, An Orchestra With Instruments Made Out Of Garbage

Most people who live near the Cateura dump outside Asunción, the Paraguayan capital, scratch out a living by digging out anything that can be resold, and buying a musical instrument would be an impossible dream. But local carpenter Nicolás Gómez and music teacher Favio Chávez decided that they could build musical instruments and give children there free music lessons — and so the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura was born. – Al Jazeera

Sensory-Friendly Orchestra Performances Tap Unserved Audiences

Typically kids, adolescents and adults with autism take in information differently than their neurotypical peers. They can be easily overwhelmed by the senses, noises, visuals and smells. The loud music and the crowds and flashing lights at traditional concerts can overwhelm someone with autism such that they need to leave. – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

How To Deal With Racist Operas? Show, Don’t Hide

“To survive, opera has to confront the depth of its racism and sexism point-blank, treating classic operas as historical artifacts instead of dynamic cultural productions. Opera directors should approach the production of these classics as museum curators and professors — educating audiences about historical context and making stereotypes visible.” – The New York Times

America’s First Racially Integrated All-Girl Swing Band

“The International Sweethearts broke attendance records at places such as Washington DC’s Howard Theatre, Harlem’s Apollo Theater, Cincinnati’s Cotton Club and the Riviera in St Louis. They played in the same venues as Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie, were considered some of the most talented musicians of their day and toured France and Germany as a USO act in 1945. Unfortunately, racism and sexism largely swept them from the public record; they became footnotes in other people’s stories.” – The Guardian

Vijay Iyer: Artist As Ally Of Adjacent Cultures

“This can’t just be about me sounding cool or looking awesome. It has to be in service of something larger. You want to actually open a conversation and activate people’s imaginations, and allow them to imagine a different world than the one we’re in. And that’s the kind of work that an artist can do, because we’re not there to answer questions exactly. We’re there to stir something up, and also to offer an alternative to the reality that we’re inhabiting.” – Boston Review

How Pink Martini Became A New Vision For An Orchestra Collective

“After college, I actually wanted to be the mayor of Portland,” Thomas Lauderdale recalls, “but working in the campaigns and political fundraising can be so dreary. And the music at those rallies really sucked.” Therein was the impetus for forming the band. Lauderdale had become the de facto social director of Portland’s underground political scene, staging rallies, parties and functions at coffeehouses, private homes and auditoriums citywide. – Monterey County Now