Engaging the Community
I felt myself inspired in the late 1980s to become intensely involved with educational outreach. Although I had been teaching private lessons in the Denver area for more than 15 years, that was the extent of my activity with music education. My interests, though, were never far from wondering about our orchestra’s limited involvement in outreach. By the way, outreach is probably a good word for it, but I’ve come to think of it in other terms as well: community awareness, music exploration and enlightenment, classical music promotion, etc.
During the 18 years since the founding of Up Close and Musical (UCAM) and the 9 years I served the Colorado Symphony as its education director, I’ve learned much about the importance of outreach. It extends far beyond the desire to educate the community about symphonic music. Just as important are the opportunities it provides to musicians to learn from and about the communities in which they live.
Musical tastes vary greatly, with classical music just one in a great spectrum of genres. Familiarity with the musical interests of the community will help greatly when designing programs. I really believe there is much more to outreach than playing great music for (or at) audiences, especially when youngsters are involved. A special type of communication must take place during the presentations that breaks down barriers associated with classical music. The listening environment created by presenters (musicians) must be one of mutual sharing. I have learned an enormous amount by listening to the comments and seeing the reactions of the audience. Attention to this has enabled UCAM programs to gain credibility and establish its presence throughout Colorado. Finally, I want to stress the importance of striving for and maintaining high artistic and educational standards with outreach programs. Endeavoring to have the right musicians on the job and being prepared to share relevant information must never be compromised.
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