|
|
Who Do We Serve?
by Becky Brett
Submitted: Tuesday, July 29, 2008
I recently coordinated an outreach tour for Lyric Opera of Chicago. The tour was "Meet the Artist," in which one singer (in this case Bill McMurray) and one pianist (Matt Long) and one coordinator (me) travel to various elementary schools throughout the Chicago area and present an hour-long interactive program to introduce kids to opera, music in general, black history and a Real Live Opera Singer.
On this particular day the weather was cold, foggy and rainy, making it difficult to see more than 100 feet away. The school we were going to sat in the shadow of the Skyway--a massive bridge carrying about 5 miles of Hwy. 90 over some of Chicago's grittier blue collar neighborhoods on the south side. The school itself looked like a bunker, a one-story nondescript cinder block building.
This school had no piano, not even an electronic keyboard, which meant these kids had no music classes. There was also no tech support and no dedicated performance area. We brought our own keyboard and fortunately did not need the megaphone they offered us for amplification.
As we set up in the cafeteria I was cursing myself for accepting their request to come here. I mean hellooooo? It's an OPERA program and you don't even have a keyboard? What was I thinking in booking this? What a pain! I am never never never booking a school that doesn't have a piano ever again! (stamping my foot down)
As the kids came in, we smiled and thought, "Greeeeeat. This is gonna be a disaster."
Then we started talking to them. Many of the students had been to our previous opera performance in the fall, and at least had a clue what to expect. The others had no idea what was in store for them, but seemed happy to be out of class and not too hopped up post-lunch.
When Bill started his show it was as if lightning had struck each child in the room (and some of the adults as well). Bill opens the program with "Largo al factotum" from The Barber of Seville, which everyone knows from Bugs Bunny cartoons. And here was someone singing it live just a few feet away! These kids were laughing and engaged and excited and Bill had their attention during the entire program.
What we thought was going to be a disaster turned into the best performance of the entire tour, thanks to some eager students, enthusiastic teachers and engaged staff. I mean, this school seemed to have NOTHING but the people inside, and these students showed more promise than others in schools with far greater resources.
I am so very proud of this school, and I hope of all the kids in the Chicago Public Schools system, these do not fall through the cracks.
As I start to plan next year's tour, I debated whether or not to require our host school to have a piano. Then I realized that I might be shutting out the schools that most need this program. So the question becomes, am I to serve the artist who is performing or the students? The answer is clear. The artist can always find a better venue if he's not happy. Ultimately we are here to serve the students.
|
 |
What you want, wants you
...A study has shown that only three percent of all Americans list their goals in writing...[and] do reach their goals. ...belong to this group of people, who reach their goals and live the life they want...
Read the entire article
|
|
|