o we’ll go no more a-roving, so late into the night

Halloween has been one of my favorite holidays for as long as I can remember. First, I’ve always liked fall - the colors all around us, the smell of the leaves, and the change of the season. Then, for at least a little while, you enjoy the transition into a warmer wardrobe; shorts and t-shirts are put away and you dig out the boots that were last seen somewhere in the basement. Now, this gets a bit tedious by about February, but we northeast Ohioians are blessed with amnesia when it comes to the baggage that accompanies shorter, cooler days. But Halloween comes along at the best possible time, when summer’s memory is still with us and fall hasn’t yet slid into winter’s icy grip.

Alas, much of my abiding affection for All Hallows’ Eve is also based on a world that is no more - the smell of the burning pile of hickory leaves that my brother, my dad and I piled up each year and set aflame (dangerous air pollution); the thrill of spending three hours alone with my friends canvassing every possible house in town for goodies (dangerous lack of parental supervision); and the amazing individually hand-dipped candy apples that the kind-of-scary elderly lady down the street made for every kid brave enough to knock on her door (dangerously unsealed food samples). Please don’t get me wrong - I’m all for clean air and safe choices, but there is a part of me that misses that more innocent time.

What really set Halloween apart from many holidays for me, though, was one thing (and, to the surprise of those who know one of my greatest weaknesses, it wasn’t ending up with a bag full of chocolate). It was carving jack-o’-lanterns! This activity has always allowed free range to my creative side and was anticipated for weeks ahead. I learned from one of the best. My dad was a pumpkin-carving artiste, able to knock out a snaggle-toothed face straight from his imagination without using sketches or stencils (not that those existed back then…). I can still remember the one October when he handed me a pumpkin and a carving knife for the first time and trusted me to come out at the end with a reasonable facsimile of a ghoulish face and all of my fingers still intact (come to think of it, add this to the list of banned pleasures in the paragraph above!). From that point on, I planned each year to top the effort of the preceding fall with a pumpkin face that was scarier, goofier, or more surprising than the year before. This became quite challenging by the time I was an adult, so I resorted to carvings that resembled famous characters (Bert & Ernie, Jack Skellington, Garfield, etc.) or to topical symbols of the day. While the challenge of being freshly creative can be difficult, I still enjoy the process of “creating by taking away” that each Halloween pumpkin presents. Its one simple pleasure that continues to be enjoyed by children of all ages, and I highly recommend it.

In my Music Settlement spotlight this week, I want to mention another October tradition in our area: the S. Livingston Mather Scholarship Competition for Male Voice Students, which occurred on October 4th at Judson Manor. The competition awards cash prizes to full-time or part-time students who are enrolled in college-level studies towards a degree in music, and the judges this year included Hazel Zehner, our Chair of Vocal Studies in The Music Settlement’s Department of Music. Hazel brought this competition to my attention, highlighting the fact that participants came to Cleveland from all over the country, with winners representing The Curtis School of Music, The University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, The Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and Indiana University, among others. Hazel felt inspired, in spite of the challenging times we currently face, that there was a strong artistic and broad geographic representation of vocal students at the competition. She and I agree that the arts are still very much alive all around us, and the talent and dedication of those performers reinforce that perception in a very real way. I also want to emphasize the fact that it’s instructors like Hazel who engage our youth in vital arts experiences, providing the framework for their future impact. Her expertise and dedication are legendary here at The Music Settlement. She also gives more than her share, as is evidenced by activities such as judging the Mather Competition. She works hard every day to be a positive influence on young people through the arts, and we are very grateful for her for doing so.

Have a great week, and a Happy Halloween!

Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression.

I’ve noticed a ton of articles, stories, and reports lately about the growing lack of civility practiced in public discourse today. It’s impossible to deny the evidence - we see it every day, through every media outlet; even those who serve in our august bodies of governance seem to be unable to control their own incivility. Whether or not we are at a level of anger above and beyond any time in our collective history in this country may be debatable, but there is no doubt that vitriol is one of our most common exports right now.

I have no fresh insight into this unfortunate phenomenon, other than to say, regardless of your beliefs or point of view, that it’s always best to treat people fairly and with respect if you want to receive the same in return. My approach is to avoid those who spew froth at all ends of the spectrum and engage with all who approach our complicated world in a thoughtful and courteous way. I suspect the vast majority of you feel the same. I do not find hate entertaining, nor do I feel it is without consequence when it is linked to an individual’s opinion, and thus is protected speech.

One of the things that most concerns me about this issue is that it is natural for subsequent generations to build upon the excesses of those who came before, which leads one to worry about what the future may hold. We need to raise our children to respect and embrace reasoned debate; it is, after all, a principle on which our country was founded, but where is there room for others when you are standing (and speaking) for “absolute” right? We are burdening coming generations with quite enough right now; let’s set examples for interaction that we can be proud to pass on.

There are, in fact, many wonderful examples of positive efforts being made to prepare our children and our future for success. Here’s one that incorporates music into the mix.

I had the opportunity to attend the Ohio Music Educators Association’s (OMEA) High School Honors Event for District VII this weekend, which featured performances by an all-schools Honors Band, Jazz Ensemble and Honors Choir. The event brought together young people from 15 area high schools for just two days to form three outstanding ensembles, and to then perform challenging works with great results.

One of the real joys of music is also one of its greatest challenges: working with fellow musicians to perform in ensemble, blending sound and expression seamlessly and communicating at split-second intervals. When you see this process in action, especially in the context of the accelerated OMEA schedule, there is no doubt that studying music provides benefits far beyond personal artistic expression. Clearly you need a good work ethic and concentration skills, but you must also hone an ability to be both “in the moment” and skipping ahead at the same time. You have to discipline you mind to go beyond notes on a printed page and embrace the dynamic of those around you under the leadership of the conductor or director. It is not for the faint of heart, but like all such personal challenges, the reward is so much greater than the effort, and the effort is always worth the reward. The study and love of music helps a person grow and prepares them for success. It brings with it benefits both tangible and intangible - it is truly food for the soul.

I also wanted to thank the people who work so hard to make great events like the OMEA Honors Event come together. First of all, Tim Niederkorn, Brett Baker and Ben Richard, the chairs of the event, who worked tirelessly to ensure the best possible experience for all involved. Guest conductors Drs. Birch Browning, Scott Garlock, and Matthew L. Garrett artfully coaxed great sensitivity and expression from each of the ensembles; they truly seemed to be enjoying themselves on the dais, and their joy was echoed by their student musicians.

Finally, the greatest praise is reserved for the directors of each of the represented schools music programs who contributed so much to the preparation and participation of their students. These individuals, many of whom are carrying terrific workloads in light of continuing educational budget reductions, are the true heroes of the day. They give all they can to the benefit of their charges, and if they don’t nurture the talent, train the dynamics, and even sometimes drive the van, then none of the other efforts would matter. If you truly enjoy playing or listening to music, please thank a school music teacher.

Each of us should make every effort to provide examples like this one for future generations - working together, sharing ideas, listening and learning, open to the range of life’s lessons.

Have a great week!

“In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.” Alex Haley

I had the opportunity this past weekend to see relatives who I don’t get to see as regularly as I would like, since much of my family is spread fairly far and wide. We were helping my Aunt Jody move from the house she had lived in for 50 years or so into an apartment and, as you would imagine, such a task doesn’t happen in one day. Cousins and second cousins had spent countless hours going through a lifetime of stuff with my aunt, trying to winnow down the mass into a manageable amount that would fit in a much smaller place.

My sister was also there to help and took the opportunity to give me an envelope full of items that she had in her possession – in particular, some copies of my late father’s “V-Mail” to his parents in the later years of World War II during his service in Europe, documents which I had never seen before. “V-Mails” were sort of a of hybrid telegram that allowed a serviceman or woman to dash off a note to those at home in a relatively brief and informal manner, which was perfect for a soldier serving on the front lines under trying circumstances.

What struck me at first was their conversational nature: it was almost like my dad was chatting about the weather, except of course for the repeated use of words like “foxhole” and phrases like “artillery fire.” He clearly tried to avoid sending stressful messages home, but as the war progressed and he moved into close combat in Germany, it became harder for him to seem casual and carefree. More and more, his messages began to reflect a sergeant in the 3rd Infantry who didn’t know for sure what day it was or when he was going to get his next change of clothes, let alone fresh food.

What struck me next was how important it was to hold onto the little things that for him defined home and comfort. Before he was shifted into combat, he had used his artistic talents to work as an illustrator and sign maker for special services, and in his messages home, he never stopped looking at his situation with an artist’s eye. He noticed both the beauty of the countryside and the devastation that devoured it. He wrote about his fellow G.I.’s in descriptive and evocative words that made it easy to place yourself alongside him, even though his reality was inconceivable to those who weren’t experiencing it firsthand.

But most of all, he worked hard to keep his mother, father and sister’s hearts at ease. He constantly wrote about his concern for them, and even when writing from circumstances of great discomfort, he had a simple gift for shifting focus from himself to how the folks at home were holding up.

The most moving passage was only a few sentences in a single note. He had spent several nights in a foxhole in deep cold, eating K-rations and listing to the sound of heavy guns up ahead, and he realized that it was Easter when he heard the bells of a nearby town ringing out clear and true. He called it “the most unusual Easter I ever had & probably will ever have,” speculating that it was the first time the village had been able to ring church bells for Easter in a long time. By the end of the messages, V-E Day had come and gone, and he was relieved but worried about the possibility of being transferred to the war’s “other front,” the Pacific.

I come from large families on both my mother’s and father’s sides. My aunt is the last surviving member of her generation on my mother’s side, and my father was the last surviving male on his side. I treasure every moment I got to spend with all of them through the years, and yet am always surprised to discover that I know little about how they really lived. Completely by chance, my sister gave me my father’s V-Mail on what would have been his 92nd birthday. I can’t help but think that happened for a reason. Family folklore is our birthright; it is an art form to be treasured and nurtured, for it is so easily misplaced in our hectic world.

At The Music Settlement, we have been part of this community’s folklore for nearly 97 years, through four generations and counting. We continue to build on the vision of our founders and predecessors, to transform lives for the better. This evening, Tuesday, October 13th at 6:30pm, The Music Settlement is joining with the Cleveland Heights/ University Heights City School District and the Office of the Mayor of Cleveland Heights to host a community forum to discuss our ongoing plans to develop a comprehensive early childhood learning center at the site of the former Coventry Elementary School in Coventry Village. The forum is free and open to the public and will take place at the site of the elementary school at 2843 Washington Boulevard in Cleveland Heights. All are welcome!

We are expecting a great crowd for this meeting, which is the first in a planned series of forums aimed at offering the public a chance to become better informed and more deeply involved in what we know will be a major community development project for Coventry Village and our region. We hope to see you there!

Nuts!

It really hit home for me this past weekend that we are in full autumn mode, as I spent about four hours out in the yard raking up the bumper crop of nuts that have fallen from our beautiful buckeye tree. When we were looking to buy a house last summer and had looked at about 30 to 40 properties in search of the right one, I knew immediately that I liked this house because of the big buckeye tree out front.

It’s not necessarily that I’m a sucker for the state tree or a die-hard fan of a certain university down in Columbus. It was really because we had two of these trees in front of the house in which I grew up, in western New York. Back then, in the days of black and white television, we called them “horse chestnut” trees, and all boys loved them for two reasons: they were great to climb, and every fall they provided the local boyhood its arsenal of choice - the nuts.

Now, I’m going to be a bit politically incorrect here and say that we loved those buckeyes as weapons of combat - that is, they were perfect for collecting, shelling, and chucking at one another. Before you gasp and accuse me of barbarous acts that lead to the fall of civilization as we know it, let me clarify: buckeyes are softer than stones, are irregular in shape and thus as inaccurate as a Civil War mini-ball, and carry much less of a weight-to-impact ratio than, say, a slushball in February. Plus, as civilized combatants, we almost always agreed to avoid the nuclear option - leaving the spiked husks on the nut - which really was pretty lethal and left an interesting polka-dot pattern on the skin for at least a fortnight.

We also had a huge shagbark hickory tree in our front yard, but while squirrels greatly preferred the nuts of that tree, they were a poor substitute for the feel and ballistic characteristics of the buckeye. This tree provided ceaseless inspiration for my dad, the watercolor painter, who used it as a subject dozens of times over the years. Sadly, all three of these wonderful sources of childhood lore are now gone, and the yard (and we, too) are the poorer for it. For some reason, we think that something as significant as a tree will always be there, but I guess there is a life lesson to be found in that metaphor. For as much as we complain about raking leaves, trimming dead branches, and cleaning out gutters, there are few things more pleasant than having big, beautiful, colorful trees in our little corner of land.

A couple of years ago, my nephew and I re-planted a buckeye in the front yard. It’s doing quite well, thank you.

Speaking of the new growth and “branching out,” I want to share with you a message written by one of our outstanding Department of Music students, Bryant-Douglas Harris. He studies violin with Callista Koh, a member of our faculty who has helped him to reach great heights at a young age. Here, in his words, is an update on his latest triumph:

My name is Bryant-Douglas Harris, and I am an eighteen year old senior at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy. I’ve been studying violin at The Music Settlement for thirteen years, and currently I am under the instruction of Callista Koh who has been my teacher for the past eight years. Throughout my violin career, I have experienced many events such as being a member of the Contemporary Youth Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, traveling to Norway with my school orchestra, and attending Interlochen Summer Arts Camp for six weeks during the summer of 2007. However, my most recent experience with my instrument was when I participated in my first national competition.

One year ago, my pastor, Rev. Dr. Charles P. Lucas, and a church member, Mrs. Francine Farmer, told me about a competition sponsored by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The competition was called the Afro-Academic Cultural Technological Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO), and it featured a variety of talents such as performing arts, visual arts, humanities, and sciences. This year I decided to participate in the Classical Instrumental sub-category of the performing arts category. The local competition took place at the Karamu House, and the first place winners of any category received an all expense paid trip to New York to compete at the National Competition where students from all over the US would compete. I, along with seven others, received first place at the local competition, and we all traveled to New York to compete from July 8-12.

This was my first time being in New York, and I had an awesome experience. My group stayed at the Marriott Marquis Hotel which is in the heart of Times Square. All of the activities for the various competing cities including the actual competition took place at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. There were approximately fifty-five competitors in the Instrumental Classical category alone; I was the fourth competitor so I knew that I had to set the bar high. The three judges were all professional musicians teaching at Julliard, and Oberlin University. My performance went really well and I received excellent feedback from all three of them. On Sunday, July 12, the awards ceremony took place at the Hilton Hotel, and there were many celebrities in attendance. The national competition awarded three medals ranging gold, silver, and bronze, and each winner received a monetary gift and a laptop. I was honored to bring the bronze medal in my category back to Cleveland to represent my city.

The overall experience in New York was unforgettable and such an honor. I had fun participating in the competition and I encourage other African American high school students to give it a shot. ACT-SO teaches much about which ever talent one would like to compete in and they make sure that all competitors know that they are already winners!

What a great story! Bryant-Douglas, his family, and Callista should be very proud. This is what we do every day at The Music Settlement; come join us and experience it first hand!

Have a great week!