Artists in Bloom

It was very fitting that the weather this Sunday was so glorious, with flowers, trees, and shrubs bursting out in their most vivid and fragrant blossoms. In and around the Early Childhood building at The Music Settlement, the collective creativity of all our students was bursting out in the annual Student Art Show, Artists in Bloom!

Our Early Childhood program immerses students in the arts, and one of the ways we do that is to invite numerous guest artists in various genres to share their talents with the boys and girls. This year’s Art Show indicated that we had an outstanding group of visual artists visit us. They represented mediums as varied as painting, ceramics, printmaking and photography, and each of them challenged the children to engage their minds and their senses in fun and thoughtful ways.

While all the artists’ projects were terrific, there was a couple I wanted to mention in particular. Angelica Pozo, a ceramicist who specializes in tile work and textures, challenged the children to experiment with some of the techniques that all experienced clay artists know so well. Pinch pots and slab constructions featured exciting colors and textures produced by outgoing imaginations. Kate Hoffmeyer introduced impressionistic painting techniques that evoked both a historical grounding and an immediate emotional connection. Debbie Apple-Presser, a recycled materials artist encouraged her students to find the beauty in everyday objects many of us label as “junk”. She is also a long-time “Parade the Circle” artist-in-residence, and her outsized Spider and Web project immediately evoked the feeling of that wonderful day in June that we all know and love. Finally, Chris Stephens helped the children produce black and white portraits and still lives, featuring their fellow students, which capture the point of view of the very young with stunning effect.

My hat is off to the Early Childhood staff and their guest artist partners for once again exceeding all expectations in bringing the very best arts immersion experiences to their students. Remember that every child is an artist in one way or another; and that if we promote high expectations for them, they will reach and exceed them every time.

I also want to mention two performances this coming week that feature another group of our outstanding artists. Two of our student Jazz ensembles, the Settlement Jazz Orchestra (SJO), and the Jazz at the Music Settlement (J@MS) group, are performing at the Tri-C Jazz Festival. The SJO performs on Thursday the 30^th from 4:00 to 4:40pm, and J@MS performs on Friday May 1st from 4:45 to 5:25pm in the Main Stage Theater. Paul Ferguson leads the SJO, and Dennis Reynolds conducts the J@MS group. We are very proud of our Jazz and American Music program, and when you take in these two performances, you will be as well.

In everything we do at The Music Settlement, we strive to add depth and experience that encourages participants to truly excel. If you haven’t already, come join in the fun!

The Music Settlement and The Soloist

As many of you know, a big movie is opening this week that tackles the theme of the power of music in an unusual way. It’s called The Soloist and it stars some Hollywood heavyweights: Oscar® nominated actor Robert Downey Jr., and Jamie Foxx, winner for best actor in 2004. The film is receiving the marketing full court press that so often accompanies movies with buzz. Not that there’s anything wrong with that - encouraging everyone to experience a story that merges social issues with the arts and also packs a big entertainment wallop is great, and I’m all for it!

What you might not know is that The Music Settlement and one of its outstanding past faculty members play a central role in the story. The lead character, Nathaniel Ayers, was a student at our Magnolia Drive campus in the 1960’s. While the story deals with the heartbreak of mental illness exacerbated by high expectations of professional-level music instruction and the resulting unattained potential, it also includes a brief portrait of caring and compassion within the context of the teacher/student relationship. When Nathaniel displayed an innate ability as a young student to play the string bass, he began to study with Cleveland Orchestra member Harry Barnoff at The Music Settlement.

Harry is a universally respected and loved instructor who is known not just for bringing out the best in musicians, but also for being a mentor in the truest sense. While tutoring Nathaniel, he also considered the fragility of his student’s psyche and worked hard to steer him in directions that would align with his needs in healthy, nurturing ways. This was just the way Harry did things; he embodied a holistic approach to instruction before people even knew what that word meant. His efforts to advise a safe path were ultimately not chosen by Nathaniel, and that’s where the Catch-22 of the story really begins. No one can say for certain whether Harry’s guidance might have led to a different result, but the point is that Harry paid attention, he cared, and he did his best to provide life skills as well as music lessons.

The 97-year history of The Music Settlement is full of great teachers, instructors, and therapists like Harry Barnoff, for that is the kind of mentoring and experience we seek to provide every day. When you come to our campus, our goal is to broaden your life, to build your self-image and awareness, and to prepare you for success in whatever path you choose, be it music or any other.

Harry was and is committed to the people he taught, and he cares about them beyond the practice room. We have all experienced transformation through mentors who we will never forget. That’s what we strive for every day in every department at The Music Settlement. When you see the movie, I encourage you to use the occasion to remember those that have touched your life in a similar way, at The Music Settlement or elsewhere. When you do think of them, please thank them, in person or in spirit. They deserve it.

A new name, a fresh energy, a timeless heritage

The Cleveland Music School Settlement is now The Music Settlement. Why the change after 97 years? People tell us our new name better conveys who we are and what we do. Of course, the proud tradition of the settlement house movement remains. We will always be about creating community first, welcoming all people of any age, ability, or economic circumstance to join us in discovering the joy, empowerment and creativity of the arts. Our new name also coincides with our exciting plans to explore new directions and expand our mission and vision. We’re adding curriculum, trying innovative new approaches, and exploring new community outreach.

Come discover something new - about us and yourself.