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Coming Attraction: ANTHEMMoments & Memories (1 of 8): Pre-teaching timeAs graduates this month of CMW's Fellowship Program, Rachel and Arlyn were asked to provide several memorable —- Walking into the CMW office on a weekday between 3 and 4 pm, the first impression can be one of utter chaos. The front door opens and shuts constantly for last minute coffee runs and the gathering of extra strings, while a new arrangement for the theme from Star Wars is being edited at a table in the back. The copy machine is running nonstop, audio recorder batteries are being tested, and armloads upon armloads of instruments and music books are being loaded into cars heading to the Met School, Lima Elementary, or the West End Community Center down the street.
It can be a frantic time, but a time which I value immensely. It reminds me that we all care about these details because we’re that invested in the students we’re teaching. No matter how many challenges a student faces, there is never a question of whether or not learning the cello as a part of this community is a worthwhile, positive force in that student’s life. The answer is always "Yes." Pre-teaching time in the CMW office reminds me that even as we go off to teach in separate rooms and buildings, in some sense, we are all teaching together. -Rachel Panitch, Fellow (07-09) Opera tailgatingBack in the fall, CMW board member extraordinaire Jacque Russom proposed the idea of bringing a group of students to a Metropolitan Opera simulcast at the Swansea Cinema. We looked over the schedule and found a perfect fit with Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella) on May 9th. We figured Richard Strauss’ Salome and the beheading of John the Baptist could wait a few years. We had the idea that since the opera broadcasts begin right after lunchtime, why not tailgate in the parking lot before the show with a barbecue? I picked up the goods at the grocery store the night before and Liz lent me her grill. Things were looking pretty tasty for the trip! When I woke up on the morning of the 9th, I looked outside and saw heavy rain coming down trying to alter our plans. NOOOOO!! Well, this was not going to stop the grilling. I called out faithful bus driver Steve and asked if he might be able to bend the “No Food On The Bus!” rule. When food is involved, Steve is amenable to thinking outside the box, and he adopted a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy as a solution.
Everyone arrived on time and we loaded onto to bus with the food and the trusty Weber grill. When the bus arrived in the parking lot, miraculously, the sun slowly poked through the cloud cover and the rain began to ebb. I fired up the grill and within twenty minutes we were munching on burgers and dogs with S'mores for dessert. With the sun eventually bursting through the clouds in a blaze of glory, we didn’t even have to eat on Steve’s bus.
After lunch, we filed into the movie theater for the opera. It was amazing! Not only was the performance terrific, the cameras put you right up on stage with the singers, in the pit with the orchestra, and backstage with the crew. Plus you get to munch on popcorn and skittles while watching the opera.
Aside from the Bug Opera, this was the first time seeing an opera for all of our students. The seed has been planted for the next generation of opera buffs. Everyone had a great time and wants to come back next year for another opera! Special thanks to Jacque and all those who helped subsidize the trip. It was an awesome day. -Jesse Holstein, Providence String Quartet
Fred Kelley scholarship recipientsIt is with great pleasure that we announce the 2009 recipients of the Fred Kelley Memorial Scholarship. Thanks to the support of many CMW supporters, along with help from the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, three CMW students will attend Apple Hill’s Summer Chamber Music Workshop. Sidney, Josh, and Luis will be in beautiful Nelson, New Hampshire from June 19-28 playing chamber music with friends from the United States, Israel, Palestine, Ireland, Turkey, and Cyprus.
If you happen to be in Southern New Hampshire this summer, I strongly encourage you to stop by Apple Hill to see and be inspired by this amazing organization and hear some great chamber music. -Jesse Holstein, Providence String Quartet Performance Party videoSandor Bodo, CMW parent and Providence Journal photographer, published this 3-minute video of yesterday's Performance Party on the Projo website. Click here to view it (for as long as it is available).
Congratulations to our high school seniors who are graduating CMW and soon will be off to pursue their dreams at Berea College (Kentucky), Community College of Rhode Island with classes at Rhode Island School of Design, Northwestern University (full scholarship), and Brown University (full scholarship). Youth Salon presentationKirby and Sydney's presentation on the Importance of Arts in Our Schools is now available on YouTube.
The 8-minute presentation, shown during CMW's Youth Salon on April 25, features Kirby's interview with Yo-Yo Ma.
Institute for Musicianship and Public ServiceA selection of Jori's photos of the "IMPS" in action. Many more are available for viewing in CMW's Flickr account.
PSQ and Phase III at Gilbert Stuart Middle SchoolWrapping up a series of visits to the Gilbert Stuart Middle School (across the street from the West End Community Center), the Providence String Quartet invited the Phase III String Quartet to join them for a reprise of the Kompa Variations in the cafeteria on May 21. Dinner was provided by More Than A Meal, and several students were eager to try out the violin following the performance. Photos by Jori.
Phase III Quartet photosKirby playing Yo-Yo’s cello
Related blog posting here. |