A Time For Wellness

I decided to move the articles originally scheduled for yesterday and today to next week. Considering the insurrection in Washington D.C., they are simply too disconnected. Instead, I want to focus today’s post on the need for wellness. If there was ever a time to remember music’s value as a coping mechanism, it’s now. To that end, I want to highlight an initiative in development at the Wichita Symphony that focuses …

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Using Documentary Filmmaking To Help Reconfirm Classical Music’s Relevance

The 11/3/2018 edition of The Baltimore Sun published an article by Tim Smith about a new documentary titled R.A.W. – From Destitute to Doctorate by Baltimore filmmakers Darren Durlach and David Larson. It’s a great overview article that introduces the documentary about tubist Richard White, who went from being homeless, eating from trash cans, and abandoned on the streets of Baltimore to earning a position as an orchestral tuba player, one of …

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Reaching Common Ground

Adaptistration People 120

There’s a terrific article by Barry Courter in the 4/8/18 edition of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Courter followed the musicians from Arts Capacity on their most recent program bringing live music to inmates at Georgia’s Walker State Prison. The result is a wonderfully detailed account of the program along with direct feedback from inmates attending the program. I was planning on writing something about the program as the promised follow up to …

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Classical Music Is Dying Because We Aren’t Dumbing It Down Enough

Dunce

Outreach was just as popular of a topic 100 years ago as it is today. Case in point, the October 1917 edition of The Etude magazine which published an article on p.644 by Mrs. Robert M. Rainey titled “How to Interest Unmusical People in Music.” We never learn Mrs. Rainey’s first name because after all, this is 100 years ago when America was still misogynistic AF and women weren’t allowed to …

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All The Good That Comes From Letting Go Of Control

Adaptistration People 086

If you’ve been searching for something to share with donors, board members, and patrons about the value of classical music, look no further than a program started by Chattanooga Symphony Concertmaster Holly Mulcahy that brings classical music to prisoners. Whatever you think a program like this might entail, do yourself a favor and put that out of your head. Full disclosure mode: Holly is my wife but my role in her …

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