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.

Snow Day, Snow Hill, and Symphonic Solutions

Tue, Mar 25, 2014 by Holly Mulcahy

It’s been a long, long winter for just about everyone in the country. The “Polar Vortex” blamed for the freezing temperatures, snow, and ice impacted so many! But it’s these weather challenges that create memorable situations; during my weeks in Chattanooga, the snow and cold brought out the best in everyone. Snow Hill The one of the many cool things the board members and administration of the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera have is the ability to enjoy and appreciate all kinds of music. When I was invited to come enjoy a bluegrass … Continue Reading

Happiness Quantified, Humanist Qualified

Sun, Nov 15, 2015Fri, Feb 14, 2014 by Holly Mulcahy

There is a point where we all want to go back in time and shake some sense into our younger selves. Since that is not a possibility, I’ve been passing on to students and young professionals what I think I would have found useful in music school. This is the first of a three part series I introduced last month. In each part of the series I touch on ideas I would have found helpful years ago. This month I’m touching on the importance of happiness. Happiness Quantified; Finding, Keeping, and Practicing … Continue Reading

Caffeine, Conversations, and Christmas Concerts

Mon, Jan 20, 2014 by Holly Mulcahy

“Admits to using caffeine” was what I read in my file while at the doctor’s for a checkup. Seeing that written down in such an official capacity made me feel like an addict! But I was informed it was simply a formality. What-ever! But I do admit to a problem; the problem is there are so many fine coffee roasters and coffee shops in the city of Chattanooga it’s hard to know where to start. Finding some enablers, er, friends from the orchestra and audience wasn’t too hard. Apparently many suffer from … Continue Reading

Do Over

Tue, Jan 7, 2014Tue, Jan 7, 2014 by Holly Mulcahy

Everyone wishes at one point that they could go back and tell the younger version of themselves a thing or two. When I teach violin lessons to budding conservatory students or to recent graduates trying to get orchestral jobs, I share what I wish I had been told. These are concepts no music conservatory has in the curriculum. During the next few blog entries, I will share some of these ideas and thoughts that people involved in the arts should know but aren’t usually taught. In February we’ll examine what makes us … Continue Reading

Tourists, Treasures, and Time

Sat, Dec 21, 2013 by Holly Mulcahy

Inviting my parents to come to one of my concerts this season was a something I’d looked forward to for months. Of course I was excited for them to see the orchestra, but I was equally excited to introduce them to the remarkable city of Chattanooga. In many cases, one can say all the nice things they want about a place, but until it is experienced in person, it really doesn’t mean as much. This was the case for Chattanooga and my parents. I had told them how lovely the river front … Continue Reading