The Aurea Ensemble will present two free programs titled Reflections on Rilke, first on Monday, April 12 at Brown (Part 1) and then on Sunday, April 18 at RISD (Part 2).

From Aurea's website: If you are interested in the inter-relatedness of the arts, in
philosophy and psychology, in the incredible artistic, cultural and
sociological upheaval and transformation of the early 20th century,
whether you've ever read a word of Rilke or not, we invite you to
immerse yourself in Rilke's work and world, his poetry, letters and
prose, as we simultaneously explore the great impact and resonance
Rilke's work continues to exert into the 21st century.

Music Haven's website received a major overhaul last month. If you haven't already checked out CMW's sister organization–build around the neighborhood residency of the Haven String Quartet–in New Haven, now you've got an excuse.

Click here to read about Rachel's Fiddle & Dance Project in the April issue of RI Monthly magazine.

Next up, Rachel and the Bourbon Boys perform play a benefit concert for the Fiddle & Dance Project on Thursday evening, April 8 at the Village Restaurant in Pawtucket. Find the details on Rachel's blog.

This just in from Lisa Carnevale, Executive Director of RI Citizens for the Arts, Rhode Island's statewide arts advocacy organization:

Governor Carcieri cut the arts budget by nearly 60% while all other publicly funded programs were cut less than 10%. His move paints a bleak picture for Rhode Island's creative sector, and its benefit to the state–economically and culturally. Now it is up to the Assembly to restore these cuts.

On Thursday, Senate Finance Committee members will hear testimony on the Rhode Island State Council for the Arts budget.  We need you to tell them to reinstate funding for RISCA.  

Please call or write your State Senator right away and urge him/her to reject the Governor's plan to decimate funding for the arts.

RISCA provides significant annual program support to CMW, along with many other arts and arts education programs across the state. Please join us in showing our support of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.

-Heath Marlow, CMW staff

See photos of Phase III teens performing at the State House last week here.

I have been a teacher for 16 years and have worked with students ranging in age from 6 to 46, but I have never had as rich an experience—as a teacher or student—as I have had this year as a Musical Mentor to Alexandra, a 10-year old violist at Community MusicWorks. I began working with Alex in late October; I practiced with her on Monday evenings. Though I was a stranger to her family, they welcomed me into their home that crispy October night to begin a relationship, one that started with music at its core.

What makes my CMW mentoring experience different from most other teaching and learning relationships I have had is that I have become a part of Alex's family's life. Never before have I been able to visit the home of my student, to get to know her family and extended family. Never before have I been able to drive to and from class with a student, talking about life and school and friends on our way to and from playing music together. This is a hugely important aspect of our mentoring relationship, the “downtime” spent not playing music but eating, talking, listening with one another.

Of course, we also play together. I play the violin and Alex plays the viola, and we have fun with the differences. Sometimes we “argue” about which instrument is better (Alex has a great story about the viola players rising up and taking over the orchestra!), and sometimes we play harmonies or duets, utilizing the different sounds of our instruments. (I also play a lot on the D and G strings!).

In our early weeks of practicing together, Alex and I got talking about and experimenting with sound effects on our instruments. We were mimicking trains, cows and squeaky doors when suddenly Alex came up with an idea. She was interested in watching old cartoons on television, with the sound turned down, and trying to accompany the action with homemade sound effects. The next week, I arrived at her home with a DVD of old Mickey Mouse cartoons. We spent our practice time that evening watching all of the cartoons and filling in all of the sound effects with our violin and viola. It was a blast. I let Alex borrow the DVD, and she practiced sound effects all week.

During one visit to their house before the winter holidays, her sister (also a CMW student) came into the living room, while Alex and I were practicing Amazing Grace, picked up a spare viola, and began sounding out the tune with us. During a visit in February, when I was picking up Alex for Fiddle Lab, her brother came bounding into the living room to tell me about that his basketball team went undefeated. As I was pulling out of the the family's driveway last week, Alex's mother came running outside, into the rain, to thank me for working with her daughter. She said, “I know your time is precious, so thank you for giving it to my little girl. God bless you.”

This multifaceted role that I play in Alex’s life and in the life of her family has given me so much. Alex’s enthusiasm for playing, her energy for out-of-the-box tunes and techniques for her viola, and her good ear have impressed me and have given me energy in turn. I am so thankful to have found this opportunity and this family through CMW. My work with Alex has given me joy through music and friendship and kindnesses. I can’t wait to see what’s next. 

-Jenn Cook, Musical Mentor

More photos by Jori in CMW's Flickr account.

Spaghetti dinner served by the WECC staff

Phase III Quartet

Fellows Quartet performing Philip Glass

St. Lawrence Quartet performing Haydn

"Tag-team" Mendelssohn

More photos by Jori is CMW's Flickr account.

Celebratory dinner at Julian's

Lunch with CMW staff and board members

Mendelssohn III & IV: Scott, Sara, Lesley, Jesse

Mendelssohn I & II: Geoff, Minna, Chris, Chloe

It was a beautiful day in the East Bay. Perfect weather for Adrienne's birthday!

Birthday dinner at Flo's Clam Shack

It was fun to share a concert with professional and student musicians from Musica Dolce on Saturday. Special thanks to Westerly native and advocate Harvey Perry for initiating this event through the Westerly Land Trust.