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.

The Art of Complaining About the Arts, Part 2

Wed, Oct 5, 2011 by Holly Mulcahy

Last month included a self test to help us think before complaining and consider a more constructive approach rather than complaining for the sake of complaining. This month I wanted to bring forward the merits of a good complaint and where complaints come from in the first place.

There will always be a need to keep some complaints in the general view for all to see. This is how we can try to get change for the positive in the classical music world. While complaining can look negative, healthy complaining and voicing concerns gently forces an important view or point to encourage positive change or understanding.

The Art of Complaining About the Arts

Tue, Mar 3, 2015Sun, Sep 4, 2011 by Holly Mulcahy

This is a self-test to determine if you have a problem complaining about the arts. The goal is to help musicians in the classical music business think before complaining and consider a more constructive approach rather than complaining for the sake of complaining. [tabs style=”default”] [tab title=”Question 1″][poll id=”2″][/tab] [tab title=”Click to see the correct answer”] [highlight]Correct answer: “look petty.”[/highlight] If you have nothing nice to say…blah, blah, blah, but also you never know who has saved a screen capture and will share later. [/tab] [/tabs] [tabs style=”default”] [tab title=”Question 2″][poll id=”3″][/tab] … Continue Reading

Getting It Right

Tue, Feb 17, 2015Mon, Aug 1, 2011 by Holly Mulcahy

“Can music reflect colors and can colors be reflected in music?” That is the question composer Jennifer Higdon poses in her brief program notes for her two movement piano trio. The two movements, titled Pale Yellow and Fiery Red, offer a view of Higdon’s interpretation of two very different colors and moods.

What is so interesting and refreshing to me is the simplicity of the program notes I found for this piece. Many times new works can have too much information, almost in a vain attempt to beat a particular idea or overly esoteric meaning into an audience, leaving no room for anything but one person’s opinion. What I find so touching about Jennifer’s unselfish approach to this piece and program notes is that it allows an audience to ponder the question as they listen to the piece.

That Slippery Slope

Sun, Sep 4, 2011Mon, Jul 4, 2011 by Holly Mulcahy

If I had been told in conservatory that part of my job would be sitting next to bitter musicians who complain about their job, never smile or look engaged during performances, and that this behavior is potentially contagious, I would have not believed it. How any musician could have the passion snuffed out and be replaced by an apathetic husk of their former self was beyond me.

But the unfortunate reality is musicians do lose their passion.

Can We Please Have Some Good News?

Sun, Sep 4, 2011Mon, Jun 6, 2011 by Holly Mulcahy

It seems that there is an unbearable amount of bad news in the classical music world. I’m tired of hearing my friends and colleagues repeat, in a mantra-like fashion, the doomsdays news of various orchestras’ demise and the death of classical music. While so much of it is in fact true and disturbing, there is good news in various forms and sizes out there that is being sidelined for more sensationalized and disturbing news. So I’m starting a list of positive things that I have noticed over the past month, and I hope to add to it over the next few months with help from you.