Holly Mulcahy

After hearing Scheherazade at an early age, Holly Mulcahy fell in love with the violin and knew it would be her future. She currently serves as concertmaster of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. She spends her summers at the celebrated Grand Teton Music Festival. Believing in music as a healing and coping source, Holly founded Arts Capacity, a charitable 501(c)3 which focuses on bringing live chamber music, art, artists, and composers to prisons. Arts Capacity addresses many emotional and character-building issues people face as they prepare for release into society. Holly performs on a 1917 Giovanni Cavani violin, previously owned by the late renowned soloist Eugene Fodor, and a bespoke bow made by award winning master bow maker, Douglas Raguse.

Bowing for Mahlers; decisions on bowing directions

Sun, May 22, 2022Fri, Sep 4, 2015 by Holly Mulcahy

One of the neatest things to watch while at an orchestra concert is the synchronized bows of the string section. It’s almost like a well-choreographed ballet in some cases. While this is something I take for granted anymore, most people don’t know how or why the bows end up going in the same direction. I get asked occasionally about this and I’m always surprised how many people are interested in learning about it, so I’ve decided to share what goes on behind the scenes to make the whole section bow in the … Continue Reading

Pre-Concert Book Club Chat!

Wed, Dec 23, 2015Wed, Aug 19, 2015 by Holly Mulcahy

What would happen if you gave a classical music appreciating audience a reading assignment? I was invited to give the pre-concert lectures for the first two weeks at the Grand Teton Music Festival and decided I would try something different: a “book club style” pre-concert chat. A week before we were to perform Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth), I gave a few reading and YouTube suggestions to audience members who were planning on coming to following week’s pre-concert talk. But, I also mentioned that just like … Continue Reading

Classical Music Is Cancelled!

Thu, Oct 14, 2021Wed, Jul 8, 2015 by Holly Mulcahy

“Well if that’s your story, then classical music is cancelled!” That what I would jokingly say every time someone would say, “Nobody knows or even cares there is an orchestra in our city. Nobody understands us or our worth.” It’s a common sentiment shared by many people in orchestras all over the country. Upon reading the April issue of Entrepreneur I found a very similar phrase in the editor’s note aimed at business professionals. Amy Cosper, Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur said in her note, “One of the most frequent comments I … Continue Reading

Why Is The Timpani Player Smelling His Drums and seven other awesome questions from the audience

Sun, May 22, 2022Mon, May 11, 2015 by Holly Mulcahy

After publishing the articles What to Wear to the Symphony and When to Clap at the Symphony, there were a flood of comments questioning why these topics were even relevant. For When to Clap, there were comments saying, “Whatever! Everyone already knows this!” And for What to Wear, “Wear what you want. End of discussion.” But it’s not the end of the discussion and not everyone knows this! Of the many reasons I wrote those two articles, one of them was the enormous volume of search terms that kept coming up when … Continue Reading

When To Clap At The Symphony: A Guideline

Sun, Nov 12, 2023Mon, Apr 6, 2015 by Holly Mulcahy

One of the most popular debates about orchestra concerts is when to clap. There are two types of clapping experts; one that assures you that clapping between movements is ok and that there are really no rules and the expert that says only to clap when the piece is completely finished. Ironically, both types of experts have historical and/or traditional elements and facts that can justify their beliefs. But instead of arguing what is best and why, I wanted to share some general guidelines I’ve observed both from the stage and as … Continue Reading