Saturday, July 24, 2010

nel futuro, saremo...

...non-profit! Clearly, I am bouncing off the walls with excitement regarding such a development. We have hashed and rehashed this possibility in the past, but it never seemed feasible; I can't really say why. Honestly, with the help of my dear father, close family friends adept in navigating the murky waters of charitable organizations, and a manageable measure of clerical elbow grease, I don't think it will be that bad. Famous last words.

My future as a grant-writing violist begins now. As I've said to many over the past couple of days, "I am going to spend my whole life asking institutions for money, I might as well start immediately." So true. However, I am looking forward to giving CMM a little more legitimacy. As a non-profit, we could receive any number of grants--translating in funds to not only cover the cost of hosting the concerts but also to bring in my new colleagues from MI, or old colleagues now relocated. Many options.

Furthermore, In writing the new mission statement (soon to be seen here!) I have had to look closely at that which I want CMM to truly address. We all know that it is not just an ordinary music festival, but specifically, how and why does it differ? For one thing, there is no admission and no one gets paid. Anything. I hope that by exchanging no funds in payment of services rendered, the festival participants feel more like friends and family than the employed. Additionally, the concerts themselves, logistically speaking, are extremely informal. We perform here, there is no stage, and the performers sit in the pews with the audience until their "time." We are all hanging out in the space before the concert and after, and I like to think that the audience members feel comfortable talking to us. Certainly, I don't believe I am going to deconstruct decades upon decades of concert culture and audience/performer power structures, but. Just the idea that the space itself does not support power relationships (that is to say, there is no stage), is an important step.

I think often of new places, new venues to help promote such a deconstruction. Next season is the first step!

2 comments:

  1. Clare Harmon for president. I'm incredibly proud to be a part of this artistic endeavor... It started slightly tongue-in-cheek for me, but has sincerely grown into something that in it's own little (for now!) world has become a performance opportunity more meaningful than the academic recital-sphere we live in. The underlying tone brings the performers and audience together, and defuses ominous "new music" by letting performers put it in an approachable petting zoo. Experiencing the traditional CMM after-party opens up discussion between listeners and players, allowing us to explore, discuss, and learn about the music even further after we've performed it... it breathes life into classical music that I've never experienced anywhere else, except in a past life at a MN Orch/Slatkin Rug Concert.

    Seriously. It's groundbreaking.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh Brad, you are so sweet! All your comments are spot-on, and truly, they warm my heart. I hope to see you next summer; you'll never believe what I'm planning...or more importantly, "where" I'm planning.

    SEASON FOUR!

    ReplyDelete