Kyle Dillingham, a fiddler from Oklahoma, is tall and lanky with a shock of straw colored straight hair. The instant he was introduced to CMW, he started rhythmic clapping; with an inclusive gesture at the end of his first rhythmic pattern (which took about 10 seconds) the audience joined in, and echoed the pattern, and continued to do so in a call and response dynamic that was vigorous and joyful.

Kyle talked and played in a variety of ways; he was so engaging in his interactions with us, you couldn’t wait to see what was coming next. At one point he held up his fiddle. "How shall I play it?" he asked. "Maybe like a cello?" Some in the audience cried out "No!", but he sat down and, holding the violin between his knees, started fiddling at great speed.  Everyone laughed and clapped. "That’s too hard," he said, "maybe like this?" He called for a volunteer to hold his bow for him. The small boy was instructed to hold the bow very firmly in a perpendicular position. Kyle, holding his violin out in front of him, rubbed the violin against the bow, while incredibly fingering the same lively piece he had just played in the cello position. Everyone cracked up with amazement and delight.

Kyle dismissed this remarkable feat lightly, saying he once had a teacher who taught him to do some tricks like that, and it liberated him to explore his violin and try things out. He urged the CMW youth to do the same. When he launched into Russian gypsy music, he called out open strings by name as he played, and got great harmonic support from the many violins, violas, and cellos that were there. His playing was impassioned, full of cadenza-like passages and romantic gestures; he stretched tall on tiptoes, while all the time one foot tapped the rhythm. His upper torso was in constant motion and his eyes moved from face to face as if communicating directly with each person.

Toward the end, after he had told us of his travels to 29 countries in Asia, South America, Africa, and Europe, he launched into La Vie en Rose, and strolled around the room serenading young and old alike with great charm. When Kyle was about to conclude, he said "I would like, finally, to play again Anais’ piece." (The piece that a very young beginning student had composed herself using open strings, and which, at Sebastian’s invitation, she had played for everyone at the start of the workshop.) Kyle remembered the piece perfectly and played it with warmth and simplicity. It was the best possible finale for a workshop that was vibrant with vitality and the celebration of the MusicWorks community and the joy of music-making.

-Karen Romer, CMW Board

Some thoughts about the upcoming concerts next week. As you can read on our website calendar page, the Providence String Quartet and CMW Players are presenting concert programs at the West End Community Center (Oct. 25) and the Bell Street Chapel (Oct. 26), two familiar venues in Providence’s West End that we visit annually.

In addition to Ludwig van Beethoven’s string quartets opus 74 and opus 18 No. 4, the PSQ will perform Chance by Anthony Green. Minna, Chloe, and Laura will perform Was That the Rain Thrush Singing in the Blue Olive Tree? by Mitchell Clark.

Anthony Green and Mitchell Clark are two of nine local composers that we have asked to contribute works to be performed during CMW’s 11th season. Last weekend, Jesse and guest artist Amy Cheng performed Garrison Hull’s sonata for violin and piano in Providence and Bristol, and coming up in mid-December, the PSQ will perform Steve Jobe’s 4 Movements for string quartet and soprano. [Read about these nine local composers here.]

How did this Listen Local project come about? It seems a natural fit for a neighborhood-based organization like Community MusicWorks, since the PSQ is often approached by artists that they meet around town who are interested in collaborating with Providence’s resident string quartet. Kate Sullivan’s Pinocchio, for instance. Or Sheri Wills’ Light of Bach at the Athenaeum and West End gym.

When we all sat down last March to start thinking about programming ideas for the 07-08 season, there were plenty of votes for Beethoven quartets and an all-Dvorak program, but there was also considerable interest in the idea of putting CMW "on the map" as a resource for new music. We thought about the idea of presenting an all-Providence composers concert at some point during the season, but quickly realized that there was the potential to include more composers than it would be feasible to fit into one concert program. As part of CMW’s commitment to achieving an impact locally, it seemed clear that here was an opportunity to effect Rhode Island’s music scene by providing opportunities for Rhode Islanders to hear music written by their neighbors.

We’re lucky to have Laura as a Fellow, as that has created the opportunity for CMW and Mem1 to co-present CTRL+ALT+REPEAT twice in Providence, providing a venue for experimental electronics and new music.

And it certainly is a bonus to have a resident composer at CMW in Jessie Montgomery. Truly "resident" in that she is a member of the Providence String Quartet AND she lives just three blocks from the office! Jessie is reworking Strum for string quintet into a quartet version that will be featured during the PSQ’s January performances, including visits to New York City’s Symphony Space (January 25) and Jessie’s childhood alma mater, the Third Street Music School Settlement (January 26).

Back to the upcoming concerts next week. Unfortunately, Ludwig is unable to make either performance, but Anthony and Mitchell will be there to introduce their works. I feel confident predicting their attendance because they have both been over to the CMW office to listen in on recent rehearsals. And we didn’t have to reimburse their travel expenses.

-Heath Marlow, CMW staff

CMW’s good friend and adviser Jonathan Biss has a new website and blog. Jonathan invited Sebastian to be the blog’s inaugural guest contributor, and you can find Sebastian’s essay Music and Social Justice by clicking here.

CMW tried out a new idea at the 11th season’s first Musical Workshop yesterday: a tuning clinic for students and parents. We’re hoping that, with some simple instructions and inexpensive pitch pipes, more students will be able to keep their instruments in tune between weekly lessons.

If nothing else, CMW students will hopefully remember the image of the silver-cloaked robots that marched through Judge Chloe’s courtroom (interrupting the case of Mr. Tuna Vulgaris vs. Ms. ReMiFa) chanting "One-Five-One… Five-One. One-Five-One… Five-One…"

Then a family picnic at the Dexter Training Grounds, a city park conveniently located directly between the CMW office and the Met School, the venue where Musical Workshops (and Performance Parties) are held.

CMW is grateful to Sandor Bodo for providing several new publicity images of the Providence String Quartet. This season, we asked Sandor to take advantage of the "red stripe" on the PSQ’s rehearsal studio window. This photo is one of several that really brings to life the idea of the storefront string quartet. Thanks Sandor! (See an earlier post about CMW’s "red stripe" here.)

The PSQ played several "preview" performances this weekend, including Thursday in Rick and Janet Keller’s backyard (a concert won in a raffle at the June Performance Party)  and Saturday in bucolic Warren at the home of a Board member. The Quartet performed Beethoven’s Opus 18 No. 4 and Variations on a Theme of Beethoven’s’s, commissioned from Evan Price (of NPR fame). There’s a funny story to explain the second photo (the fuzzy one) and that will hopefully be added later…

CMW welcomes violinist Rachel Panitch! She shared a few sentences about why she was drawn to apply to the Fellowship Program:

Community MusicWorks thinks big on a local level. The organization is not afraid to work toward big change by taking small steps. This is what I look forward to doing throughout my life and particularly in my work in community arts. I am a musician who enjoys making things happen: I love organizing events, seeing people get together, singing, playing tunes and supporting each other.

I am drawn to CMW by its inclusiveness. It doesn’t say: "how are We going to change that community?" Instead, "how can we work as a part of the community to allow it to change itself?" Perhaps I’m idealizing, but I’m thrilled to be a part of it all. In attending a Performance Party last year, I was drawn in not just by the dedicated and enthusiastic teachers and mentors, but by the dedicated and enthusiastic parents, siblings and community members who make it all happen.

I look forward to meeting you!

-Rachel Panitch, Fellow

Editor: Learn more about Rachel and the Fellowship Program here.

CMW welcomes violinist/violist Arlyn Valencia to Providence! We’re excited to have her participating in our Fellowship Program for the next two seasons.

What drew Arlyn to apply for a Community MusicWorks Fellowship? In her own words:

When I first read the posting for the fellowship opening, I immediately knew that I would do anything to become involved in CMW. It was a dream of an opportunity–to become involved in three very important things in my life: community, teaching, and performing. Soon after, I began perusing the website–reading the mission, watching the videos, surfing the blog, and listening to the sound clips. After meeting the Providence Quartet, speaking with Minna and Sebastion, and playing chamber music with everyone in my interview, I was absolutely certain that being a part of CMW would indeed be a dream!

-Arlyn Valencia, Fellow

Editor: Learn more about Arlyn here.

The PSQ has just returned from its annual August retreat, during which we dived into the fall repertoire. The special new feature this year was that we retreated to Greenwood Music Camp in Western Mass. (high school summer home for Chloe, Heath, and Jesse H.) What a wonderful start to the year to have a week to learn Beethoven quartets in the setting of rolling hills, a beautiful concert barn in which to rehearse, a garden full of veggies offering food for our dinners, and the wonderfully rustic barns and cabins for sleeping quarters!

A friend of CMW recently asked what we do to keep our artistic level high while doing so much work in the community constantly. The answer was two-fold: one is the obvious–lots of rehearsal time in our work week. The other answer was retreats! Having this week to focus intensively on learning the new repertoire, practice, watch old videos of the Amadeus Quartet, and swim got us in great shape and got us inspired for the year ahead.

See you soon with Op. 18/4, the "Harp" Quartet, and the surprise "Variations on a Theme of Beethoven’s’s"…

-Sebastian Ruth, Providence String Quartet

[Editor: Note the bug masks hanging in the barn. Greenwood was the site of early work on The Bug Opera by Geoff Hudson and Alisa Pearson which CMW and Opera Providence brought to the Columbus Theatre in November 2006.]

Hello Everybody,
Yesterday we had a wonderful board retreat with plenty of surprises. I had fun and it was great to see everybody. First we played a game in which we each drew a badge and on it, it had four things. They were: your home, your occupation, your hobbies and what skills do you bring to the board. You also had to write your motto.

Then we broke off into three groups and helped brainstorm some ideas. I got a big poster with birthday wishes. Thank you everybody. It was really nice. Also thanks Liz [Hollander] for the wonderful presents.

By the time we knew it, [the retreat] was over and we ended with letters stating what we planned to do for the up coming year. Can’t wait to start with you guys again and see you when I come back.

-(Fidelia) Kirby Vasquez, CMW Board member

[Editor: After postponing her trip by a day to attend the retreat, Kirby left for Mexico to celebrate her Quinceañera with her extended family. Happy 15th Kirby!]