Music

  "Playing music is good for the soul because it requires full focus in the present, thereby pushing both the past and the future into the shadows." — JAV

MUSIC IN MY LIFE 

Music has been part of my life since I was born because music is in my DNA. It runs in the family. My Swedish grandparents played piano and organ, banjo and mandolin. I would not be surprised if their ancestors were musical, too. Although I took violin lessons as a child, I had no one to play music with in the little farm town where I grew up. I cannot think of another child who was also trying to play violin.

My father taught me piano when I was learning violin since the clef is the same. Later, I asked to take piano lessons because I wanted to learn music that was "modern." By this, I meant songs that people my age, about 11 or 12, would enjoy hearing played on the piano.

My father hired a piano teacher, a serious and accomplished Swiss pianist. She arrived at the house and said, "I understand you want to learn modern music. I have brought you Bartok." Bartok is a favorite of many musicians, but sadly, he and his music never resonated with me. And that was the end of piano lessons.


When my father learned to play cello and found a string group to play with, the one instrument missing was the viola. So, my father acquired a viola for me to learn to play. A violinist named George Weigl showed me how to play it, explaining that the music was written in the alto clef, not the treble clef. George said that he knew I would have no trouble learning the alto clef. As a result, I had no trouble with it. I played with the group for two years and loved every minute.

Then I went to St. Margaret's Episcopal School for Girls in Waterbury, CT, and that was the end of music in my life.

Forty years later, I took up viola again. Ten years after that, I picked up the violin. Since then, I have friended anyone and everyone willing to play music with me. Playing a musical instrument is the most satisfying activity in life except for writing. When I write, the words spin a web around me so that I am in a timeless zone.

 

Northeast Connecticut Community Orchestra: 

The Dream (First in a series)

Even before he left Ukraine for the United States in 1999, virtuoso violinist Yaroslav Tereshchenko was dreaming of conducting his own orchestra someday. Thanks to his students in northeast Connecticut, that dream is about to become a reality.

In 2009, Tereshchenko applied to a fledgling music school in Killingly, CT, to teach violin and viola. An ad describing his credentials ran in the weekly Shopper’s Guide, a free regional publication filled mostly with ads for used cars, real estate and items for sale.

Rachel Lewis was reading the Shopper’s Guide while savoring a bowl of hot oatmeal in her Putnam kitchen. When she saw the ad, she put down her spoon and said, “Hey, Jim. Come look at this.”

Jim Bump, Rachel’s partner in music and life for more than 25 years, was in the market for a viola teacher willing to give lessons nearby. He telephoned the Killingly School of Music and learned that Tereshchenko would drive from the University of Connecticut to give lessons in Killingly only if a minimum of three students signed up in a block.

Jim telephoned me. “Do you want to try out this new teacher?” he asked. I replied, “Just sign me up. If we dovetail our lessons, we can overlap and work on viola duets.” Bump telephoned a mutual friend, violinist Roberta Richards of Thompson, who said that she, too, wanted to take lessons.

The three of us were soon progressing musically under the tutelage of the patient Ukrainian whose nickname was “Yarek.” In time, Dr. Saul Ahola of Woodstock, who had taken up country fiddling a few years before retiring from medical practice, joined our group.

The four of us played together as well as with other string musicians scattered throughout the villages, towns and rural countryside of Connecticut’s northeastern corner hugging the Rhode Island border on the east and the Massachusetts state line on the north.

Soon, violinists Michael Geigert of Pomfret and Barbara Horn of Ashford, who played in a quartet with Jim, were taking lessons from Yarek, along with other students through the University of Connecticut’s Community School of the Arts.

“I always wanted to have my own orchestra, but I didn’t know how to get this organized. One day, I brought it up to you, and you thought it was a great idea,” said Yarek. I told Jim, who had been wanting to start a regional adult string group for years. Saul and Roberta both said they were in. So did Barbara and Michael.

The plan had been to practice at the Killingly School of Music when the string players numbered six or eight. But as word spread and more players expressed interest, the group outgrew the space at the music school even before the first rehearsal.

An offer came to meet at the Willington Old Town Hall but the condition was that the thermostat would have to be left untouched. How were the musicians going to play in the late winter afternoon with the sun going down and the heat set at 55 degrees?

Barbara came up with another idea. The historic Babcock Library in Ashford was available at no charge if we wanted to hold rehearsals there. It was a warmer building so the musicians would be more comfortable.

Jim sent an email to 24 musicians informing them about the first rehearsal on Feb. 18. Yarek was all smiles. “We’re going to have an orchestra. The dream is coming true,” he said.

Northeast Connecticut Community Orchestra: First Rehearsal (Second in a series)

Before the first rehearsal of our new orchestra, the conductor, virtuoso violinist Yaroslav “Yarek” Tereshchenko, was apprehensive. It was his first time conducting since graduate school.

“I was a little nervous, thinking, ‘How many people will be there? How many people know me? How will they react to me as the conductor?’” he said.

As Yarek stepped inside the Babcock Library in Ashford, CT, on Feb. 18, the musicians were setting up music stands and chairs grouped by instrument: 14 violinists on one side, 3 cellists opposite the violins and 3 violists in the middle.

Violist Jim Bump was handing out folios with sheet music organized by instrument. I was taking candid photos of musicians meeting one another and tuning up. After greeting my friend, cellist Brenna Larson, I gave the camera to her husband, Ev, to take more photos.

Yarek walked around the room, speaking with the players. About half the musicians were violin and viola students of Yarek. The others he had not met before.

“I had to think quickly to place people. In this orchestra I want to put strong players next to less strong players, but I didn’t know everyone so I may need to make changes in seating next time,” he said later.

Yarek announced that we would first play a Ukrainian hymn by Bortniansky, one of the simplest pieces in the folio. As he raised his baton, all eyes were on him. With violins, violas and cellos playing together, the pleasing harmonies sounded robust. As the last chord was played, Yarek grinned.

“When I heard the first piece and it went really well, I felt comfortable and confident,” he said.

As music librarian, Jim had spent countless hours choosing the music and copying parts on his fancy new printer. For Yarek, he enlarged the scores on heavy paper and assembled them with spiral bindings and small tags along the outer edge to make page turning easy.

“I was astonished by how every person, and those who weren't able to come this time, seemed to have been waiting for years for this to happen. They all leapt eagerly to take part. People I'd almost lost track of sprang from the woodwork and were delighted to come,” Jim said.

Brenna enjoyed seeing familiar faces as well as new ones. “Yarek is such a sweet man, and he seemed genuinely excited to be directing us. That made it even more fun for us,” she said.







Violinist Michael Geigert said he has always wanted to play in a string orchestra because of the wealth of musical literature for strings. “I was very encouraged by our first rehearsal. Our director was sensitive to our different skill levels and made everyone feel welcome,” he said.

Saul Ahola, who has mainly played traditional American folk music in country fiddling groups, said he was thrilled to play violin in a string orchestra and to hear the sounds of the other instruments.

At the close of the two-hour rehearsal, Yarek thanked the musicians for coming and said that rehearsals would be every two weeks. He also said that sometime in the future, we will have to reimburse Jim for the music he bought and for the ink cartridges and paper to make copies for the players.

“I hope to see all of you next time,” he said.

Reflecting on the first rehearsal, Yarek said he appreciated that so many people came to play. “They want to put their souls in the music, and I am there to help them make the music a success. I feel very pleased, even happy,” he said. 

Northeast Connecticut Community Orchestra: Funding (Third in a series)

To launch the Northeast Connecticut Community Orchestra in February 2012, volunteers paid for the music, and the conductor donated his time. It was a noble beginning, but how will the orchestra pay for future expenses?

To research how to fund an orchestra, I contacted the League of American Orchestras. Jan Wilson, director of the Knowledge Center, responded that I should apply for non profit tax status with the state of Connecticut for the orchestra and organize a board of directors to set a budget.

“You will eventually want to build a board of non musicians to get more donors and patrons,” Wilson wrote.

I also emailed the arts and culture coordinator for a new organization called the Northeast Cultural Alliance whose mission includes helping local arts groups to find grant opportunities.

Ellen Silbermann responded that the Alliance would not be awarding grants in 2012 but that the Connecticut Office of the Arts has a grant program called the Creative Placemaking Pilot Program. “This could be a great opportunity for your orchestra to join an existing event that involves many sectors, participate with them and all benefit from this grant,” she wrote.

Following the links in her email, I learned that any organization applying for funds must have had a non profit tax status approved by the state of Connecticut for at least two years.

Silbermann invited me to attend a Connecticut Office of the Arts public forum on Feb. 14 at Quinebaug Valley Community College in Danielson.

The main speaker was Christopher “Kip” Bergstrom, the newly-appointed executive director of the Commission on Culture and Tourism. He said that the arts can be a driving force in the economy when they enhance city spaces and encourage young people to stay in Connecticut.

During the question-and-answer session, I said that we were starting an orchestra and would like to apply for a grant to pay for the music and our conductor. Might there be any change in the requirement that an organization must have non profit tax status for two years before applying?

Bergstrom said that the requirement will not change because the state does not want to fund new arts organizations. He said that before starting an orchestra, “you should have a conversation with other arts groups in your region to coordinate and interconnect.” I replied, “We are starting the orchestra now because our region does not have a non school-based orchestra for amateurs.” He turned away and called on someone else.

The next day, Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced a plan to cut more than $11 million in payments to already established arts programs throughout the state as of July 1, 2012.

I told my friends that so far, I had failed.

Violinist Saul Ahola said we should ask the musicians for donations.

Violist Jim Bump said that he would donate the cost of the sheet music and that two other musicians had already brought him ink cartridges for his printer and a ream of paper to use for copies. He said he hopes we can coast along indefinitely with no formal organization, no fundraising, no selling ads for programs, no grants.

“Let the orchestra be carried on by the enthusiasm of the members and be supported financially by an occasional pass-the-hat,” Jim said.

Conductor Yaroslav Tereshchenko said that if we can’t raise money to pay him, he will contribute his time. “I know how much people love playing, and that makes me feel good. The orchestra is a great experience. It’s all about bringing joy to people,” he said.