This Fall, Community MusicWorks welcomes new Fellows to our team! 

Violist Hannah Ross recently completed her Masters of Music at the Juilliard School in New York City. She is an active performer and dedicated teacher, and moved to Providence after spending a summer abroad in Tanzania and Denmark. In Tanzania, Hannah completed her fifth summer co-directing and working in Art Powers Arusha, a student-run, multidisciplinary outreach group which she helped to found. Since 2009, the Art Powers Arusha team has been supporting and encouraging students’ personal development and individuality throughout the Arusha community through a curriculum of performing arts.

At the beginning of their Fellowship, all new fellows are asked to respond in writing to questions about the upcoming Fellowship experience. When asked what drew her to Community MusicWorks, Hannah wrote, “I very much believe in sharing my love of music with others, particularly in the fields of teaching and playing chamber music. CMW offers both of these opportunities for fellows to learn and share together. I am also interested in non-profit work, which I hope to learn about in my time here.”

Asked about what other things she looks forward to in the Fellowship: “I'm really looking forward to meeting all of the students! Meeting people from all walks of life is what I love the most about the world. I think each person in the world can learn something from every person they meet, and I'm excited to see what my students and I will learn from each other.”

As Hannah settles in to her new home in Providence, she also confides that “at the age of 23 and 3/4, I’ve joined the Millennial generation with the purchase of my first smart phone.” In her free time, she enjoys knitting scarves to be worn during polar vortexes, as well as baking a variety of desserts to be shared with friends. She also loves writing snail mail letters to her closest friends, a hobby she began before email took over the world.

Cellist Clara Yang recently received her Doctor of Musical Arts in cello performance from Rice University. While at Rice, she collaborated with the Watercolor Art Society in Houston and lead six workshops and an interactive performance displaying children’s art works for the Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers at the Texas Children’s Hospital. Having witnessed firsthand the positive influence music can have on individuals and their community, Clara believes that such forms of teaching and outreach are an integral part of music education.

Clara is also an active and accomplished performer and is currently a member of the Ardelia Trio with whom she performs educational concerts and performances for diverse audiences. Clara is enthusiastic to join the Community MusicWorks team, and in particular looks forward to “learning from the other fellows and staff, to building strong teacher-student relationships with my students, and learning more about what goes into building and sustaining a program like this.”

Clara was drawn to CMW because “the idea of reaching out to the community through music in a much more direct and influential way is really inspiring.” She hopes to search and seek out opportunities to create or join projects inspired and modeled by CMW in the future.

Clara also looks forward to getting to know the CMW community and people, and has joined husband Tristen, a medical resident, in Providence. When she is not teaching or performing, Clara loves listening to jazz, finding good eats and exploring Providence.

–-Minna Choi, Fellowship Program Director

Welcome to our 18th season! Community MusicWorks was founded on the question of how musicians living and working in an urban community could make a significant positive impact, both on the community and on the art form itself. In the 2014-15 season we have a special opportunity to deepen this inquiry through a major grant from ArtPlace America, a national funding initiative looking to stimulate the field of “creative place-making,” the notion that the arts can transform places for the better. We are excited for an organization-wide inquiry this season into what it means to inhabit a place as musicians and with music.

Inhabit is a thread that you will see presented in various ways through out the season. From a series of informal concerts at the Friendship Café in South Providence to a series at our CMW storefront and pop-up events in Olneyville, we will be exploring how participants begin to see a place differently after experiencing special musical events that bring people from diverse backgrounds into community.

In the music we play this year, you can expect to hear us exploring the notion of place. How do we know something about a place through hearing its music? How does this temporal art form provide an unusually rich opportunity to connect us to someone else’s lived experience?

Highlights include a reprise of the wildly energetic Fantasia con Guayaba Habanera, the violin concerto CMW commissioned in 2013 based in Afro-Cuban themes and rhythms. We’ll be performing this in New York City in October, taking the energy of our Providence premiere on the road—please join us! November marks the return of the beloved annual Bach concert at the John Carter Brown (JCB) Library on the Brown University campus, this year including a work from the Americas, reflecting the Americana mission of the JCB Library. We will explore what it meant to composers of the baroque era to be writing in Latin America, far from the European capitals, and proudly honing a local style.

CMW continues its commitment to commissioning new works, featuring a new piece by Ken Ueno, made possible by a grant from the MAP Fund—a competitive national commissioning fund. Ken’s piece will be based in the RISD Museum’s recently re-opened Buddha gallery, and will allow the audience to experience how a piece composed for a particular place opens that place to new experiences, and also carries that place with it when performed elsewhere.

And culminating the season will be a concert commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act (1964). We are excited to bring back Daniel Bernard Roumain, violinist, composer, hip hop & classical artist extraordinaire, to lead his “Rosa Parks Symphony” with CMW professional and student musicians. The same concert will feature a newly commissioned work by former CMW musician Jessie Montgomery, now a rising star in the composition world.

This alongside a rich season of works spanning the 18th to 21st centuries, in chamber music and orchestra formats, the elegant Sonata Series at RISD, the Ars Subtilior series exploring contemporary experimental music, and more. We look forward to having you with us for Inhabit!

–Sebastian Ruth, Founder & Artistic Director

We like to look at this photo from our last Traffic Jam and pick out friendly and familiar faces. Don't miss your chance to make an appearance at CMW's Traffic Jam next Friday, September 26 from 5-6pm at CMW, 1392 Westminster Street in Providence. Help us celebrate Community MusicWorks' 18th Season CMW-style: music, snacks, speeches, kazoos and more. Look for a scene kind of like this. We hope to see you there!

Traffic Jam

Friday, September 26 from 5-6pm

Community MusicWorks

1392 Westminster Street in Providence's West End

Yet another reason that music is good for you. Neuroscience says so.

Read or listen to this NPR piece about a recently published study featuring Los Angeles' Harmony Project.

This year’s Phase II retreat to Voluntown Peace Trust was a chamber music playing, s’more eating, nature communing, yurt chilling, campfire singing, staff and student overnight bonding experience that is best described by photos and Phase II members themselves:

Heather

Kumcha, kumcha, bunny, bunny, toki, toki!

My experience at the Phase II retreat was filed delicious food, spider webs, s'mores, and Fantasia de Guayaba Habanera. It was great playing awesome music in sectionals and in orchestra. Although it was very hot and humid, discussions about the upcoming year engaged all of us. It was the beginning of an exciting year!

Nohelly

The Phase II retreat is something that happens every year. This year like last year did not disappoint. Whether it was daring ice breakers or singing by the campfire or even rehearsing in orchestra. It was filled with laughs.

Alana

I loved the icebreakers and the campfire. Many laughs were shared and it was a nice reminder to know I'm coming back to a new year with my second family.

Cendy

This was my second year going to the retreat and I enjoyed myself just as much as last year, if not even more. We got to start the Grau piece again which is scheduled to be performed in New York City. I am so excited I can't wait. CMW has a lot in store for Phase 2 as well as the rest of the musicians in this wonderful program. (Name not indicated) My experience at CMW phase II retreat was pretty rad. It was so good seeing everyone. They are like family and just taking a moment to connect with all of them and start playing, learning and wondering about pieces for the future really got me back in the CMW mood.

Special thanks to Clara Yang for the photos and comment-collecting!

         CMW Players at Avaloch Farms. The animal to the back left is not a moose.

The CMW musicians were fortunate to attend the Avaloch Farm Music Institute during its second season of existence in August. Avaloch  is the only artist residency program of its kind in the USA, promoting the work of professional chamber ensembles. The residency is beautifully equipped with rehearsal studios, living quarters, world-class food served family-style in a room that doubles as a concert hall, and hundreds of acres of New Hampshire fields and mountains to boot.

In addition to rehearsing repertoire for the upcoming season, the CMW musicians took time to do strategic planning about the ensemble's work over the next five years. And when doing none of the above, the players were seen picking blueberries, swimming in the lake, and even spotting moose in the woods. Recharged and inspired, we are hitting the streets in Providence and can't wait to share music with you soon.

-Sebastian Ruth

Photos courtesty of Avaloch Farm Music Institute, Sebastian and Lisa Barksdale.

Lauren Latessa, recent Fellowship Program graduate, sums up her experience at CMW over the past two years:

I clearly remember the first time I heard about Community MusicWorks’ Fellowship Program. I was in the music library at Peabody, and a friend emailed the link with the subject, “this would be perfect for you”. It was around this time that I was realizing a traditional music career was not for me. Instead of devoting all my time to refining my technical abilities, I wanted to also address those questions that keep musicians up at night. Questions like: What is the point of our artistic endeavors? How can we make this music relevant to a new generation? What is a musician’s role in society? Even from that first email, I could see that CMW was an organization actively involved in addressing those questions. So I started following CMW. I scoured the website and read all of Maxine Greene’s philosophy. I celebrated Sebastian’s well-earned MacArthur award and I read the blog when the students traveled to Washington D.C. Eventually I came to Providence to attend CMW’s Institute for Musicianship and Public Service (IMPS). By the time I came to IMPS I was in love with the organization and mission. While my colleagues at school dreamed of landing that amazing orchestra job, I dreamed of becoming a fellow at CMW.

My first few months in Providence were pretty surreal. It was shocking how much time I spent moving chairs, packing snacks and setting alarms. I came with my lofty questions, but quickly learned that lofty questions are only answered through grit, hardwork and silly details. At first I couldn’t see the relationship between this day-to-day grind and my questions. Then, slowly my students opened their lives to me. Their parents became my friends and I learned their stories. I played my first concert at RISD and developed relationships with CMW’s wonderful board members. I began to understand the inside jokes at staff meeting. I coached the Sweet Potatoes, an adult amateur trio comprised of CMW board members and parents. Through these experiences, the many layers of CMW’s community became clear to me. As my time at CMW went on I continued to see the versatility, depth and strength of this community. From watching our students interact with each other, their families and faculty it became clear to me that the power of this community was much greater than any of its individuals. The most powerful example of this was the performance of Gonzalo Grau's "Fantasia de Guayaba Habanera". The rehearsals the week before the performance were some of the most focused and exciting rehearsals that I’ve been in. Our Phase II students, the CMW Players and all of our incredible guest artists rose to the challenge of the piece and created something magical that we never could have achieved as individuals.

The ending of this fellowship was just as surreal as the beginning. While the reality of my two years here didn’t always live up to my fantasy, every moment helped me chase those questions that have thus far defined my career. No two days were ever the same! The silly details never went away, but I was continually energized by the people around me. I think back on my questions and I am so excited by what CMW has shown me. This is a place that promotes joy, understanding and acceptance. In a world where we are often defined by our differences, CMW looks for our commonalities. At CMW, classical music is our common thread. It connects us to each other in ways we did not think were possible. That gives more meaning to my profession than I could ever have hoped for. Thank you CMW community for welcoming me in and showing me this possibility! I will miss you all!

–Lauren Latessa, Cello Fellow '12-'14

CMW Fellowship Program grad Annalisa Boerner (viola '12-'14) gives us some parting thoughts, and a new mash-up word for our lexicon: listicle, a combination list and article.

I had no idea where to start my end-of-fellowship post, so I decided to be very 2014 and go with a “listicle.” The following are six menu bar options from the current CMW website, and I found that I had something to say about each one:

1. About Us

CMW, as a staff, is a group of individuals who share and collaborate even as they retain their creativity and individuality. CMW, as a student body, is much the same. The organization is deeply committed to mutual learning about and with everyone it touches. The learning we do, the performing we do, and the relationships we build are all in service of a mission that is about the agency and potential and value of each community member… or, “about us.”

2. Programs

I have done an immeasurable amount of hands-on learning through participating in CMW’s many programs. I’ve also had the opportunity to experience the genesis or evolution of various initiatives (a process that is at least as educational as the participation). CMW isn’t afraid to experiment, to evaluate, to pilot, and to refine, as long as it is still striving toward its core values through these multifarious efforts.

3.Calendar

What a dense calendar it is! The Fellowship is a good way to figure out just how polished one’s time management skills really are. The CMW year is packed with educational opportunities for the kids (outdoor retreats, casual and formal performances, concert trips), performance opportunities for the faculty (in museums, gymnasiums, various underused properties), professional development (networking, teacher training, seminars), sundry tasks (staff meetings, cleaning out the quartet studio, filling out paperwork and contracts) and the occasional margarita night. Is there a stronger word for “dense?”

4. Media

The  CMW Flickr account  is like a magical play-by-play. It amazes me due to the beautiful photographic evidence of my time here, because it is fascinating to see how far I’ve come, and because given those parameters I am still blown away by the number of events and projects that transpired without documentation (see: Calendar).

5. Get Involved

CMW has created a unique environment that can help its musicians be fully involved in its proposition. They can create multifaceted careers within the same Providence space, and know that they are surrounded by people who share their values. This amalgamation of roles (teacher, performer, administrator, connector) in one place and under one philosophical umbrella allows the professional musician to “get involved” in the work in a special way.

6. Contact Us/Home

CMW has pulled together a remarkable set of people and values, and I trust that they will be a key part of my musical and personal life for decades to come. I feel fortunate be in contact with this extended family, and it’s hard to express how lucky I am to have called this place home.

Thank you, CMW, for everything.

–Annalisa Boerner

Experience The Sounds of Business as CMW Founder & Artistic Director Sebastian Ruth chats with host Sy Yule about the Community MusicWorks programs and his motivation to start the organization.

Listen to Sebastian's interview here.

Here at CMW we are celebrating the exciting news that we've been selected from among 1,270 applicants nationwide as one of 55 organizations to receive a major grant from ArtPlace America!

This award will be CMW's second grant from the program, having received one in 2012 from a similarly large field of applicants. With support from ArtPlace America during 2014-15, Community MusicWorks will expand its work by transforming its headquarters into an outward facing public space with deep community ties, as well as developing sustained partnerships with two nonprofit housing developers, S.W.A.P. and Olneyville Housing Corporation, to activate a decentralized network of storefront art spaces in the low-income communities of South Providence, the West End, and Olneyville. This work will include lively musical happenings on the streets and sidewalks, storefronts, restaurants, and other underused community spaces, bringing people together, enlivening public spaces, and strengthening community ties.

"We are honored to be included in this group of compelling projects nationwide. This award will have a catalytic impact on our ability to advance our longstanding work to bring people together through music, to make our communities stronger and more vital," said Community MusicWorks’ Founder and Artistic Director Sebastian Ruth.

CMW will be participating with five other grantees nationwide to build a learning and leadership cohort of partners in the performing arts within the field of creative placemaking. This work is an extension of CMW's longstanding work to share its successful model of neighborhood-based music-making with other musicians and arts organizations across the country, through a two-year fellowship program, conferences, and regular institutes.

“Investing in and supporting the arts have a profound impact on the social, physical, and economic futures of communities,” said ArtPlace Executive Director Jamie L. Bennett. “Projects like these demonstrate how imaginative and committed people are when it comes to enhancing their communities with creative interventions and thoughtful practices.”

Providence Mayor Angel Taveras said of the award, "The City of Providence applauds Community MusicWorks for its longstanding commitment to the betterment of our city, engaging young people and their families in imagining a better future through the arts. We are pleased that the national funders represented by Art Place have recognized their meaningful work in our city for a second time."

"Funding the arts is a good investment for our communities and our economy," said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, an ex-officio member of the National Council on the Arts, the advisory body of the National Endowment for the Arts. "Congratulations to Community MusicWorks on winning this important support."

About ArtPlace America

ArtPlace America (ArtPlace) advances the field of creative placemaking, in which art and culture plays an explicit and central role in shaping communities’ social, physical, and economic futures. To date, ArtPlace has awarded $56.8 million through 189 grants to projects serving 122 communities across 42 states and the District of Columbia.

ArtPlace is a collaboration among the Barr Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Ford Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, The McKnight Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The William Penn Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, Rasmuson Foundation, The Surdna Foundation, and two anonymous donors.

ArtPlace seeks advice and counsel from its close working relationships with the following federal agencies: the National Endowment for the Arts, the US Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Education, and Transportation, along with leadership from the White House Office of Management and Budget and the Domestic Policy Council.

ArtPlace has additional partnership from six major financial institutions: Bank of America, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Chase, MetLife and Morgan Stanley.