The Ensemble 2 | 2017
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the ensemble 2 | 2017 A NEWSLETTER FOR THE U.S. & CANADIAN EL SISTEMA MOVEMENT The Role of the Guest Artist FROM THE PUBLISHER & EDITOR “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, by Seth Truby, Executive Director,BRAVO Youth Orchestras, Portland, OR is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle Several dozen children file into the room and take their Guest Artist visits often lead to surprising Psychologists suggest that it takes 45 days to break places on the floor or in chairs. After a little coaxing opportunities. When students at Kidznotes in Durham, an old habit and establish a new one. This takes a from their teachers, they settle down and turn their NC joined Black Violin onstage at their ticketed concert, great deal of determination but brings a world of attention to the front of the room where they see a new they ended up being featured in a music video, and positive change, since habits determine so much of who we are, no matter what we say we believe. We face. This stranger, seated and holding an instrument the two groups will join forces again at the Carolina certainly know this in music learning: the habits twice the size of a guitar, begins to play 400-year-old Theater this spring. Esteemed film and TV conductor learners establish become the foundation for their music so quietly the children lean forward to hear. Harry Rabinowitz, BRAVO’s oldest Guest Artist at next accomplishments. After finishing a short selection, the visiting musician 99, brought the score he composed for “Reilly, Ace Which brings us to the “Action for the Month.” (See answers the question from the audience, “How old were of Spies” during his visit and led a guided listening page 2 of every issue of The Ensemble.) We are you when you started playing music?” “I was 8, the session; two years later, the BRAVO students were trying to give our movement a broader reach of same age as some of you, but I honored to perform this visibility and impact by establishing a new habit didn’t start on the theorbo!” same piece at the maestro’s that everyone in the movement adopts together. memorial service. Guest Artists play a vibrant role We all have firmly-established habits of working at many El Sistema-inspired At Baltimore’s OrchKids, where hard in our own communities to change life possi- programs. They introduce Guest Artists have included bilities for students and families. This work requires unusual or exotic instruments; Roger Waters, Renée Fleming huge attention and care, and it is generally going they lead students on a journey and Yo Yo Ma, key elements well. However, we are not growing strong as a through a rich array of musical of these visits include high national movement, perhaps because of our habits genres; they illustrate the intensity rehearsals, playing of exclusively local focus. Movements require col- lective action to become visible, to gain national ethnic and cultural diversity in the neighborhood and supporters, and to grow into their larger potential. in our wider community of in larger civic venues, and Guest Artist Joshua Bell plays with Aislin at That’s why we’ve initiated the Action for the music makers; they share stories BRAVO Rosa Parks. Photo by Rich Kolbell fusing musical styles. Artistic of travelling across continents Director Dan Trahey says, “We Month: to help us form a new habit. We know you and oceans to perform; and they make themselves are not just trying to stimulate the students; we want to are crazy busy – we are too. That’s why our Actions are designed to take only a few minutes. Let’s relatable, telling stories of how they were drawn to have an impact on the Guest Artists’ feeling about the break the habit of not bothering. music as children, or frustrations with practicing, social relevance of music making.” or switching instruments and music styles as they The payoff is even more than an acceleration of our Last summer, students at MYCincinnati had the struggled to find their own artistic voices. movement’s impact; it is “walking our talk” for our opportunity to work with internationally-renowned students and families. By engaging in every Ac- At BRAVO Youth Orchestras in Portland, OR, we hip-hop artist Napoleon Maddox. A month of dialogue, tion, we model the kind of personal and interper- welcome about 35 Guest Artists per year, a little creative imagining and rehearsal led to a collaborative sonal responsibility we wish our students to learn. more than one per program week. They have been concert that combined new arrangements of Maddox’s The two of us are old enough to have come of age professionals and amateurs, classical, fiddle and songs and original student poetry. Director Eddy Kwon in a time of large-scale national movements – for jazz musicians, Mexican, Danish, and Venezuelan, says the joint project was “an extraordinary opportunity civil rights, for women’s equality, against the Viet- bagpipers, conductors and opera singers. From world- to meld music of diverse traditions with active nam War. While there was a great deal of vigorous class violin soloist Joshua Bell to the winner of the local engagement in social, historical and political issues.” local action, these movements were only able to youth concerto competition, each Guest Artist invites make permanent change because we undertook In every field of human endeavor, we seek out heroes our students to imagine for themselves paths into very common actions with others around the country and role models. In El Sistema-inspired programs, different musical futures. (even without the help of the Internet!) our heroes are often holding musical instruments. At Yakima Music en Acción, a particularly inspiring Guest Artists inspire our young students in a way Our whole movement needs to join in collective actions. For just a few minutes a month. Every Guest Artist was cellist Joshua Roman, who performed that complements the daily work of Teaching Artists. month. Every one of us. To grow powerful. concerto excerpts, worked intensively with the cello They show that rigorous music study can open section, and stayed until the YAMA students ran out doors of opportunity including college scholarships, If you have ideas for Actions you think might be of questions. At Miami Music Project, violinist Isabella international travel, or a successful career as a effective, pleaselet us know. We would love to Trautwein of the Cleveland Orchestra has visited performing artist. They also demonstrate the many hear from you. regularly as a Guest Artist to work with both beginning vibrant roles music can play in the life of an individual Eric Booth & Tricia Tunstall and advanced students. or in the vitality of a community. “Courage is the measure of our heartfelt participation with life, with one another, with a community, a work, a future.” – David Whyte, poet the ensemble 2 | 2017 A NEWSLETTER FOR THE U.S. & CANADIAN EL SISTEMA MOVEMENT News Notes Resources 21st Century Skills Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Community By Diogo Pereira, Program Director, Harmony Applications are now open for the 2017 National Project Phoenix MusicWorks (CMW) recently released three reports Take a Stand Festival in Los Angeles, July 15-22. The that reflect on their impact. Ever since the publication of President’s Committee free 7-day national youth orchestra camp brings on the Arts and Humanities “Reinvesting in Arts aWe Are Each Other’s Magnitude and Bond is together orchestral musicians aged 12-18 from El Education” (2011), the U.S. education community has an evaluation of CMW’s Fellowship Program and Sistema-inspired and aligned programs across the been increasingly interested in 21st-century skills Institutes for Musicianship and Public Service – two country, and will culminate with a final performance such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration long-term projects to expand CMW’s impact. Led led by the LA Phil’s Artistic and Music Director and communication (“the 4 Cs”). As an advocate for by Dennie Palmer Wolf, the evaluation documents Gustavo Dudamel at Walt Disney Concert Hall. We music in schools, I firmly believe that the collective their impact in diversifying the classical music urge program directors, teachers, and staff to please and intense practice of music creates the context to field, sharing CMW’s model, and developing a next cultivate these competences. But how can we be pass this message along to students so they may generation of entrepreneurial, community-invested intentional about fostering 21st-century skills, and apply directly. Online applications close Feb. 22; musicians. http://tinyurl.com/zapsty8 design activities that translate concepts into action? notification of acceptance will be made by March aFunded by Art Place America, Sharing Tables 22. All necessary information available at: http:// Here are some key activities in the Harmony Project with Strangers: Strengthening Neighborhoods laphil.com/education/yola/national-take-stand- Phoenix’s program design that we hope contribute Through Community-centric Concerts examines to developing 21st-century skills. festival-2017 the impact of the CMW’s long-term presence Communication: Students take on the challenge on its host neighborhoods. The report by Chloe The Sphinx Performance Academy (SPA) is a of public speaking. Every piece in our concerts Kline and Dennie Palmer Wolf looks closely at a is introduced by a different student. The oral free 2-week intensive chamber music and solo recent Community MusicWorks concert series presentation must be written, revised and rehearsed performance program designed for aspiring black in a neighborhood taqueria, and its influence before being presented on stage. and Latino string players, ages 12-17. It includes on community members’ perceptions of their rigorous private lessons and coachings in addition to neighborhoods, relationships with their neighbors, Collaboration.