I have a song to sing, O! Sing me your song, O!

I had the great pleasure to attend the opening night performance by The Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 this past Saturday. As many of you know, the Orchestra was celebrating its Community Music Initiative as well as returning to Severance Hall for another season of glorious music. The Orchestra is an unparalleled treasure for all of us and it is great to have our neighbor back in residence, just two blocks away.

For me, the “joy” of the evening was multifold. First, there was the pleasure of the music itself, still vibrant and affecting, despite being 185 or so years old and so frequently performed and recorded. Then there was the gala spirit of the event itself - the anticipation and excitement of opening night, drawing an audience primed for enjoyment, sharing a communal experience together. The Orchestra even invited the Jazz @ The Music Settlement [J@MS] combo to perform in one of the foyers before the show - they were awesome, and it added greatly to the celebratory nature of the evening. I also trace part of my enjoyment of orchestral music to the interplay of the artists, a preference that may have originated from my roots in theatre stage management, so my house right orchestra seats allowed me a great view of the “action.” I was able to watch Music Director Franz Welser-Möst’s interaction with various members of the orchestra and the chorus very closely. I especially enjoyed his connection with Concertmaster William Preucil, in which the most imperceptible of gestures and nods spoke volumes.

Then there was the task of getting one’s arms around the massive undertaking being presented that evening. With the full chorus, orchestra, and four soloists all sharing the floor, there wasn’t an open space anywhere on the stage. Just being witness to the scope of the event immediately put one in mind that they were going to experience something very grand indeed.

But what really defined the evening for me was the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, an all-volunteer ensemble from nearly fifty communities around Northeast Ohio. I spent much of the fourth movement (with the well-known “Ode to Joy”) with my eyes glued to the members I could see of the chorus, and found their intensity and proficiency mesmerizing. To me, their commitment crystallized the impact and legacy of music in our community. Their task was not for the faint of heart, and they rose to the occasion magnificently.

Throughout the fourth movement, I found myself wondering what the experience was like for a member of the chorus, and as I read my program later on, I realized that several members were (not surprisingly) employees of The Music Settlement. I determined then and there that I needed a first-hand account to share with all of you today from their point of view, so I have asked two staffers - Music Therapist Dwyer Conklin, and Emily Catalano, receptionist from the Early Childhood Department - to share their thoughts while the glow of the evening remains. I’ll start first with Dwyer’s thoughts:

Listening to great performances is always a good experience but being a part of one takes the cake. Beethoven's Ninth is challenging in many ways, especially as it is such a well known piece, that it can be hard to "live up to the hype". But being a part of such a focused ensemble that strives to ensure a high quality of musicianship pushes one to another level altogether. This concert was a fabulous experience from the music listener in me that enjoyed hearing a masterpiece played and sung in a masterful way. And from the performer in me, to be a part of making the experience was truly a joy. Freude!

I’ll let Emily have the final word:

The only problem with talking about Cleveland Orchestra Chorus is that I feel like the first couple of lines of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways.” Where do I start, and stop? It’s hard to put in a nutshell my feelings about this singing privilege. This begins my 16th season with COC, and I don’t know what I did with my free time before that lucky day in 1994 when I auditioned for Garreth Morrell. We talked a minute or two before I sang, and he said, “You have an accent, don’t you,” and I thought, “I’m done Finished. At least I tried.” Then I got the much hoped for letter that said, “Welcome to the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus.”

For me, all of these years later, rehearsals are always exhilarating, and at the end of a rough day, or a long week, the music is salve to my soul and a panacea for everything, without fail. Walking out on stage for a performance is an emotional rush for me like none other I can imagine. The first thing I do when we sit down is to look at all of those faces in the audience who have come there because they need what the music will give them. Next, I look at the lights in the ceiling, and imagine that those are all of my family who are gone, but have the best seat in the house, wherever they want to sit (maybe even next to me). And every single time, without exception, I’m filled with gratitude for all they did to make music such a constant part of my upbringing. The music program in my hometown of Madisonville, Kentucky was outstanding too, and I still call my chorus director there every time we sing at Carnegie Hall. I tell her, “You know, Miss Williams, I hold you partly responsible for this.” She always says, “Thank you, Emily. That’s an accusation that I happily accept.” She’s in her late 90’s now.

Sitting there among 150 of us, and 100 of The Cleveland Orchestra, I’m moved by the fact that we have religious, social, political, and personal differences of all sorts, but when we gather for the purpose of making music, NOTHING else matters but the music. Differences…..canceled. Troubles…..forgotten. Language...one. And Emily, on top of the world.

Thank you, Dwyer & Emily, we are all very lucky to have the gift of music in our lives, in whatever form it takes. While many of us have lifestyles (or levels of talent) that prevent us from doing much more than singing in the shower, we should never fail to thank those who give of their time to bring joy to our hearts through live performance. That is an “Ode” whose chorus we can all enjoy.

Have a great week!

A moment is fleeting by

One of my favorite exercises is to try to see the art in everyday things that surround us but largely go unseen. I can often be found contemplating the compositional arrangement of multicolored gas meters on the side of a building, or the rhythmic patterns cast into the tops of manhole covers, or even the rough poetry inherent in the profile of an idle and rusting steel plant against a setting sun. My wife will tell you that this can lead to some hair-raising driving experiences, but she also gives me credit for opening her mind to seeing and feeling our surroundings in a different way.

I urge you to take the time to look and listen; music underlies the rhythm of a ceiling fan, there is beautiful ballet in the way rushing water moves around an immovable object (as Leonardo Da Vinci so famously observed), and the red of a ripe tomato in a green garden would put any painter to shame. There have been notable artists and movements dedicated to sources of inspiration such as those, most of which we wouldn’t have thought to see on a gallery wall or heard in a concert hall before they helped open our minds.

The list is very long indeed, stretching from the likes of John Cage to Andy Warhol, and stretching back throughout history. Early landscape painters during the Renaissance reminded observers that the everyday could be evocative amidst the allegorical, and composers such as Antonín Dvořák evoked the sounds of the world around us to deepen the resonance of their works. In dance, performers often provide their own percussion accompaniment using the instruments of their own bodies. If we open our eyes and our hearts, there is art in nearly everything that surrounds us.

Speaking of the arts in our lives, October is National Arts & Humanities Month, with some very special events happening statewide, planned by the Ohio Arts Council and many other groups, in tribute to the importance of arts and culture to our quality of life. To learn more about what’s going on and what you can do to help, go to www.ArtsinOhio.com .

At The Music Settlement, we have many people who work hard every day to make the arts come to life for our community. One of them is Donna Baznik, who brings literature alive in the hearts of children in her position as librarian for our Early Childhood Day School and Preschool programs. For many years, Donna has shared her love for great children’s books with the youngest of The Music Settlement’s students. With the assistance of the staff and parent committee she has led the effort to create the library, a wonderful resource on the second floor of the Early Childhood building. When you walk in the room, the many shelves are overflowing with books, CD’s, resource kits, stuffed animals, posters, and other materials all destined to promote literacy, spoken narrative, and imagination within the minds of the very young. If you spend any time with Donna, you’ll learn that books are her passion, and that she’s dedicated to igniting that passion in children from an early age and onward.

Donna has announced that in June of 2010 she will retire as librarian and move on to the next chapter of her life with her husband Dick, who is also no stranger to The Music Settlement. If you have the opportunity during Donna’s triumphal retirement tour over the next nine months, please wish her the very best and thank her for all she has done to make a difference in the lives of children. As the son, nephew, and brother of librarians, I can tell you that they are a truly precious asset in our world. Books are a pathway to what can be, and the earlier we are each able to recognize that value, the better chance we have to reach our potential.

Enjoy this year Donna, as we have enjoyed all those that preceded it with you.

Have a great week!

Through our great good fortune, in our youth our hearts were touched with fire

When Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. penned the words above, he was referring to youths tempered by the fire of the Civil War. I would like us all to turn our thinking to a fire that tempers in a much more positive way - the passionate fire of education, art, and selflessness that make us all better people.

This week brings great news regarding The Music Settlement’s ongoing efforts to expand our educational operations in our community. As detailed in a press release issued jointly early last week, The Cleveland Heights/University Heights City School District has reached an agreement in principle with The Music Settlement for the use of the former Coventry Elementary School site on Washington Boulevard in Cleveland Heights. As many of you know, this conversation has been ongoing since November of 2008, but careful thought and planning has characterized the efforts of both parties from the onset, so you can be sure that we have been moving forward consistently, in good faith and with appropriate patience.

So what does an “agreement in principle” mean? Does it signify a done deal, or immediate transfer of operational authority? Does it mean that our offerings will be available at a second location immediately? The short answer is no, it does not. It means that the District has had an opportunity to examine our Master Plan in detail for their site and find it to be “the best possible solution” for the usage of the property. Our plans call for a comprehensive early learning center, with state of the art facilities that include features for day and preschool programs and Arts for the Young programs for students up to age eight, as well as training elements for future and current teachers and spaces for community partners and events. At this juncture, the focus of our plan is the current building and its footprint, not the public playground or the Peace Park, which we hope will remain public assets for the neighborhood and the region.

What are the next steps? The District and The Music Settlement will begin meeting in earnest to determine the exact footprint, cost, and timeline for the turnover of control of the property. Meanwhile we will continue to fine tune our programming and partnership plans for the site and open up the dialogue to bring in the many voices who have interest in the future of both The Music Settlement and the Coventry site. We are holding the first of a planned series of community dialogues next month on October 13th. This public event will be held at the Coventry Elementary School site and will start at 6:30pm, and all interested parties are invited to attend and join in the dialogue. I can promise you that there will be regular updates in this column regarding our plans for growth. We are very excited about the value we bring to our community, and with expansion the benefit is much, much greater!

On another note - I want to recognize an amazing, unsung hero at The Music Settlement: Drew Rapp. Drew has been involved with our Early Childhood program since he was three years old, when he started in the day school program. He is now 17 and a veteran member of the counseling staff for our terrific summer camp program, Music Builders, but that is only part of the story. Drew, like many young people today, is very skilled in technology and dabbles in video and publishing – but, unlike many folks, he uses those talents to give freely to others.

For the last couple of summers he has given campers additional gifts of “yearbooks” and DVD’s documenting their camp experience. Drew has provided these cherished mementos at no charge to the camper, and passes on little more than material costs to The Music Settlement. For this year’s new Theatre Arts Camp, for which he also worked as a counselor, he created an end-of-camp “playbill” that made the experience extra thrilling for each participant. I can’t say enough about young people like Drew, who are willing to give so much more than they get to an institution that means a lot to them. Drew and his parents, Ed and Helen, deserve the most heartfelt thanks from us all; they are the reason why The Music Settlement is such a great place to be. Drew and many others like him, before and after, have been tempered by a much more positive fire.

Have a great week!
Charlie

Wake, wake for night is flying

Despite our best efforts to avoid this, we have officially bid adieu to another summer, and enjoyed our last chance to enjoy grilled hot dogs, brats, burgers, and soy burgers without feeling like we were somehow faking out the calendar.

My family enjoyed one last summer weekend at my old house on Chautauqua Lake, and while it seems like I spent most of my time ridding the house of spiders, they seemed to think it was one of the finest Labor Days on record. What is it about being near the water in the summer that is just so rejuvenating? It’s amazing how you can spend hours on end staring at the blue horizon and not feel the least bit bored. On Saturday morning, the fog was so thick it seemed more like we were staying on Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard, where the water goes on forever all the way to Europe!

But it didn’t matter whether you were staying in an old barn of a house on a lake, or watching the Air Show, or attending a concert at Blossom, or enjoying the Great Geauga County Fair, we were rewarded with a nearly perfect couple of days in which to be irresponsible for a few more hours. Now if I could just get the spiders to stay outdoors where they belong…

Speaking of unwanted guests in an old house, my family enjoyed the ultimate in unexpected visitors last night as we welcomed a big brown bat into our living room at 10:30 at night! There are few better examples of pure domestic slapstick than the collective freak-out of three humans (well two, while one mostly cowered under a blanket), armed with tennis rackets and wrapped up in hoodies and baseball hats, alternately charging and retreating at full volume from a flying mouse. You would think we were under direct attack from invaders from Mars as we stealthily crawled up narrow staircases all the way to the third floor chasing (and being chased by) the little varmint; slowing gaining ground and then giving it all back in a frantic retreat to safe ground. Even our cat, who likes to think of herself as the great fuzzy hunter, managed to vanish throughout the whole hullabaloo, and only turn up when the dust had cleared as if to say, “Yeah, no problem, I had the far corner of the basement covered if it came down there!”

After about 45 minutes exhaustion set in, and there was very little resistance or energy left to threaten personal injury or elicit high-pitched squeaking. …and the bat wasn’t feeling too peachy either! I was finally able to subdue it with a laundry basket (you’re only as good as your tools, after all!), and after three or four heart-stopping attempts to corral him in a couple of towels, was able to sprint down the stairs with my captive and release him back into the night. No doubt he has found a comfortable resting spot back in my eaves somewhere…

At any rate it was a memorable night, and an unforgettable end to summer.

Around The Music Settlement, we are preparing for the kick off of the new school year, with plenty of exciting offerings to fit your interests. We go beyond the standard lessons and challenge you with value-added opportunities and events. One good example is our Flute Choir. Here’s a brief description of the program from its Director, Kathleen Mylecraine.

The flute choir varies somewhat from year to year, but generally consists of 8 - 10 members. People in the choir are mostly adults, though some are high school players. The experience and level of members varies widely, from people who are taking flute up again after years or decades of not playing, to some who perform regularly outside the group and are excellent flutists. What brings us all together is that everyone in the group is there to have fun enjoying making music while playing the flute. And yes some of us are senior citizens, so you'll fit right in!

Varying performing levels work well in our situation. Since the group is small, I get to know each person, what he or she feels comfortable playing (picc, C, percussion, alto flute or bass flute -- the Settlement owns an alto and bass for our use during rehearsals and concerts!), and I assign parts accordingly. There are no 1st, 2nd, or 3rd flute, etc. players in the group as I mix parts and players for each piece. If a given piece is too simple for someone, I will write a more interesting line for them. If it is frustratingly difficult, I write a simpler part.

We play 5 fun concerts for small audiences of family and friends each season. On these concerts, I program most of the pieces for full choir. In addition, I encourage smaller groups, solos, duets, trios, quartets, etc. If people have their own music to play that is great. If not, I will find music and partners and make assignments. I group people together by friendships, neighborhoods (they can get together outside of choir and rehearse if they like), playing style/ability, or people they would like to get to know/play with. I am happy to play duos with anyone myself to make performance preparation simpler. It is just fine if you prefer not to play in a small group too.

I welcome suggestions and comments from choir members. If there is a piece of music you want to play, let me know. If there is a choir arrangement, I'll purchase it; if not, I will arrange it and dedicate it to you.

You will find opportunities to fit your every interest at The Music Settlement, please visit us to learn more!

Have a great week!

Summer’s lease hath all too short a date

It’s hard to believe that we are now in September, the month where our regulated lives catch back up with us before we are ready for it. I think we need a “warning month” in the calendar - let’s move February to the end of August and use it to just prepare our minds for the recommencement of days crammed full of meetings, school schedules, conferences, etc. The weather in northeast Ohio usually stays fairly nice through the first part of autumn, so September would still be in the books before the snow flies.

If this approach proves to be too challenging, and I’m willing to admit that it may be, then here are some other ideas for avoiding that deer-in-the-headlights approach to facing the end of summer.

1. Get your summer fix. Cram every minute of the next week or so with the pursuit of the “perfect moment.” Try going to the beach at 6 a.m.; ride your bike to work but also as you’re mowing the lawn (don’t forget to wear your helmet); eat ice cream with every meal (hey, if you’re riding your bike all the time, no problem); replace all your light bulbs with tanning lights; pour sand in all your shoes; you get the picture…

2. Employ productive avoidance techniques for the immediate resumption of unceasing demand on your time. Practice using phrases like, “Was that meeting scheduled for today? I thought it was next Monday at 10 a.m.,” or “I’m planning on getting right to that when we get into the second quarter,” and there is always the old standby, “How about never for that meeting? Is never OK for you?”

3. If all else fails, embrace the continuation of responsibility. Close all shades and curtains to block all those pesky sunbeams and muffle the twitter of happy birds and instead knuckle down at your keyboard, work in the cool, ionic glow of the monitor, and twitter everyone you know about how great it is to be back nosin’ that ol’ grindstone for the next eight to ten months. Try not to let your tears short out your computer.

Meanwhile, I can still summon up a few thoughts of halcyon days by relating yet another story of a faculty member at The Music Settlement giving back to others during their time off this summer.

Lisa Gallagher has a pretty regimented schedule as a member of our Music Therapy Department. Like all our therapists, she has to fit her personal time around a demanding schedule, which only leaves her a designated period for kicking up her heels. So what does she do when she has the chance to lie in the sun and read pulp fiction? Well, let’s let her tell the story:

“I was a camp counselor at the Ohio State Fair with the All-Ohio State Fair Band - 200 high school students from all over the state of Ohio. The music directors are responsible for them when they are performing, and the other counselors and ‘camp’ staff are responsible for them the remainder of the time.”

I asked Lisa, “Are you nuts? You do that sort of thing 40-50 weeks of the year already, why do it in your time off?”

She wrote back:

“It was definitely a fun time! People think we're crazy because we basically work from 7:00 a.m. to midnight, and it's a lot of responsibility playing parent, nurse, counselor, disciplinarian, etc., but we do enjoy it a lot and actually find it to be relaxing. And we have great friends at the Fair that we only see once a year, but they are like another family to us.”

This is what defines the great people at The Music Settlement – the work they do is not just a job, but for them it’s a calling!

Finally, I wanted to call your attention to a couple of online articles related to the impact of music on personal enrichment and achievement. These stories reinforce what we see every day at The Music Settlement in our classroom, studios and performance spaces. First is the story of a summer camp program for children who stutter, and who find strength and solutions through performance and the support of their peers. The camp is in upstate New York State and is called Camp Our Time, and the link to the story is below:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32553108/ns/health/

The other article relates a recent study that supports the link between participating in community chorus programs and individual success and civic commitment. Click on the link below to find out more:

http://www.chorusamerica.org/about_choralsinging.cfm

Well, that’s enough for now. Look for my first official blog of the fall next week – if I don’t short out my computer first, that is…