If nothing else, this season has been one of reflection but one of the more tiring discussions is whether or not the arts add value to society. Of course they do, but it seems that a society which enjoys a high standard of living can forget all too easily just how important the arts are beyond the realm of live performance…
My recent trip to Nepal as part of the HEARTbeats Foundation served as a profoundly meaningful experience with regard to reaffirming the transformative power of music and art. I posted more about this at the Foundation’s Nepal blog and I hope you take a moment to head over and give it a read.
In the meantime, take some time to reflect on the year and the seasons ahead. Why do you think the arts matter? What is your purpose in this business?
Apropos of this inquiry is David Brooks’ book review/op-ed in today’s NY Times. He critiques a recent book by Hubert Dreyfus and Sean Dorrance Kelly called “All Things Shining” (to be added to my reading list!). Brooks focuses on the human drive toward transcendent experiences, especially those that are collective. Here is my favorite bit and one that I think speaks to the importance of symphony orchestras, among other collective institutions (as a staunch unionist, I’d include unions in that list):
We have official stories we tell about our culture: each individual is the captain of his own ship; we are all children of God. But in practice, willy-nilly, the way we actually live is at odds with the official story. Our most vibrant institutions are collective, not individual or religious. They are there to create that group whoosh: the sports stadium, the concert hall, the political rally, the theater, the museum and the gourmet restaurant. Even church is often more about the ecstatic whoosh than the theology.
My recent trip to Nepal as part of the HEARTbeats Foundation served as a profoundly meaningful experience with regard to reaffirming the transformative power of music and art. I posted more about this at the Foundation’s Nepal blog and I hope you take a moment to head over and give it a read.
Apropos of this inquiry is David Brooks’ book review/op-ed in today’s NY Times. He critiques a recent book by Hubert Dreyfus and Sean Dorrance Kelly called “All Things Shining” (to be added to my reading list!). Brooks focuses on the human drive toward transcendent experiences, especially those that are collective. Here is my favorite bit and one that I think speaks to the importance of symphony orchestras, among other collective institutions (as a staunch unionist, I’d include unions in that list):
We have official stories we tell about our culture: each individual is the captain of his own ship; we are all children of God. But in practice, willy-nilly, the way we actually live is at odds with the official story. Our most vibrant institutions are collective, not individual or religious. They are there to create that group whoosh: the sports stadium, the concert hall, the political rally, the theater, the museum and the gourmet restaurant. Even church is often more about the ecstatic whoosh than the theology.
Full op-ed at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/31/opinion/31brooks.html?_r=1&hp
Wonderful sentiments Rochelle, thanks!