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 Slow Movement, Part 1

Fri, Jun 5, 2015Mon, Jul 7, 2008 by Holly Mulcahy

In the wake of rising oil prices and increased interest in environmentalism, there has been substantial attention focused on the Slow Food movement. Some of the basic ideals behind the 20 year old movement include opposing fast food in favor of learning to taste and enjoy a meal, favoring organic and/or family farms over industrialized farms, and teaching gardening to develop a new appreciation for where food comes from. As recently as a few years ago, many considered the Slow Food movement as a gimmick created by a small group of culinary … Continue Reading

When Life Gives You Lemons…

Mon, Sep 5, 2011Mon, Jun 2, 2008 by Holly Mulcahy

From gas to wheat, the price of everything has shot up faster than many can comprehend. In the classical music world, there seems to be an unspoken anxiety over whether or not these changes will end up hurting the arts in one way or another. Donors might think of cutting back, companies might not sponsor as many events, and families might decide to skip live performances altogether.

Does This Violin Make Me Sound Fat?; The never-ending search for the perfect instrument.

Sat, May 7, 2016Mon, May 5, 2008 by Holly Mulcahy

May is here and along with ushering in a new summer, it also serves as the gateway for swimsuit shopping. As magazines begin telling us which suits are now fashionable and how certain ones work best with certain body types, many of us are beginning to think about how we’ve changed over the winter and if our current swimsuit still fits. At the same time, I’m comfortable with my body and don’t lose sleep over whether or not I conform to the latest fashion craze. Tired clichés such as “Does this suit make me look fat?” and “Does this one make my butt look big?” just don’t go far with me.

Too Much Of A Good Thing

Mon, Sep 5, 2011Mon, Apr 7, 2008 by Holly Mulcahy

While reading the last few editions of International Musician, the best reference orchestra musicians can use to find the latest job openings, it seemed as though there were far more job openings than usual. My initial reaction was one that I’ve had ever since I was in college: excitement from all of this opportunity.

Trombone Envy

Mon, Sep 5, 2011Mon, Mar 31, 2008 by Holly Mulcahy

As a violinist, every now and again I come down with a classic case of trombone envy. Warning signs include angst about the amount of notes I have to play, yearning for a naturally louder instrument, and worst of all, utter frustration over why the trombone isn’t used in half of a symphony. On more than a few occasions I catch myself thinking ‘this isn’t fair’ as I rub my tired arms during rehearsals.

String players, violins in particular, usually slave away for an entire piece while the trombone players get to sit for 40 minutes and come in for just “the good stuff” in any given symphony. The good stuff is what my parents used to call it when the brass would come in at the end of a symphony and dominate the scene making the audience jump to their collective feet at last loud chord.