Who’s Your Audience

Five people introducing legislation in the Dirksen Senate Office Building. From left to write, a Union worker, Senator Al Franken, Senator Tammy Baldwin, the president of the Machinists Union, and Bernie Sanders. Sanders is at the podium, which has two labels. "Keep our Pension Promises Act" with the Capitol Building above the seal for the U.S. Senate. People taking photos gather around.

Month 9: Athens and Washington

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Cultural Event: Timon of Athens Last month, I decided to return to the Folger Shakespeare Library’s theater for a second visit. Back in January, I attended As You Like It. This time around, I went for the lesser-known Timon of Athens, in which we learn that friends aren’t truly friends if they only like you when you are giving them things. (Are you listening, Washington DC?) This was my first time repeating a cultural venue for this challenge, and incidentally I’m now toying with the idea of becoming a Folger subscriber. It’s fun being a patron. … Continue Reading

Two women standing with their backs turned to a shore with small waves. The woman on the left is wearing pink headphones and a blue and white top. Her hands are together in front of her. The woman on the right wears sky blue headphones and holds them up with her left hand. She is wearing a top that has prints of pineapples. Sunglasses are clasped to it.

Classical Music is Awesome #SorryNotSorry

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Some of the best things in the world don’t give us satisfaction on the first try. Or they involve some “work” in order to understand. Or they require you to leave your comfort zone. But eventually, they blow your mind. Examples for me: Sour beer. Contemporary Art. Exploring cities where I’m not a native speaker. Why then do I apologize if classical music requires this effort? I can’t tell you how often I’ve had this conversation. Me: I love classical music. Non-Musician: [A thing s/he doesn’t like about classical music] Me: Yeah, I … Continue Reading

Who’s Your AudNEAnce?

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The arts have a positive impact on a community. The arts play a crucial role in the fabric of a community. The arts transcend our differences and bring us together as a community. Awesome buzz-words, right? I do whole-heartedly believe in the above sentiments. I usually say something similar if I’m in a moment of arts advocacy. But if I’m being honest with myself, I’ve never given a decent attempt at investigating how they are actually carried out. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) gives thousands of grants to community arts organizations … Continue Reading

Man with blonde hair wearing a light blue collared shirt is facing leftward. He is painting something on his laptop with his right hand. The silver laptop is on the left side of the photo. The painting covers the area of the screen, and it is of a red-roofed, white-walled singe-story house surrounded by yellow, pink, and green plants, tall green trees, and mountains with a blue sky in the background.

Applicant has a Music Degree? Automatic First-round Interview.

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My friend is a trained classical musician. Her brother, on the other hand, was never a musician. Over the years, he saw what it took for his sister to earn her music degrees. The diligence to self-sufficiently develop her skills in the practice room. Successful collaboration with her peers. The ability to perform in front of an audience. A thorough understanding of technique on her instrument, music history, world cultures, music theory, performance psychology… …and, oh yes, decision-making and expression and creativity. The brother is now involved with the hiring process of a non-arts-related … Continue Reading

A painting of ship in rough waters in the ocean. The water is dark green, except for the whites of the waves. The sky is a lighter teal except for the white clouds. The ship is on the right, sailing away from us. There is an anchor in front of us and a barrel to the left, both of which appear to have been discarded.

Our Eyes on the Prize: The National Endowment for the Arts

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If like me you sometimes only read an article’s first paragraph, I ask you to please call your elected officials in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. Demand that they continue to fund the National Endowment for the Arts. Cite the reasons for which arts funding is essential in your community. Call them now. Call them every day. For those of you who continue to read on, I’m glad we’re connecting. But I’m not glad for the reason. It seems that the future is potentially uncertain for the National Endowment for the Arts, the federal … Continue Reading

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