Midwest Young Artists Conservatory’s Post

What can we do to preserve this important music history today?

Do you know who Kate Vannah is? Musician friends, if you don't, you need to read this post! Of course, you should all read this post anyway and learn about some great composers and their music and hear excerpts from an incredible night of music. #newportri #music #history #nonprofit

🤔 Sometimes the simplest of questions are the deepest. “Why are you here?” was asked at a prison recital last month. The prisoner wanted to know why performers would come to such a place when we could be anywhere else. ❓ But that question meant more to me than just why I would perform music in a prison. That question is a question any musician should be able to answer honestly at any point in their career. Read on how asking "Why" is a powerful exercise in career direction and grounding: #why #path #decisions #justify #knowing #orchestra #nonprofit #prisonreform #understanding #engagement #audiencequestions

🌈 🤟🏾 #Fun and #enlightening creating these dozen #mentalhealth #destigmatization videos with the stellar #nonprofits Medicinal Media and the Hi, How Are You Foundation from #Austin to #LA.

No family is perfect, but every family is worth saving, strengthening and protecting, observes Lloyd Newell in this week's "Music & the Spoken Word" with @TheTabChoir. Watch it here.

As an African-American choir director, the call and response tradition has been the heartbeat of my musical and spiritual upbringing. 🙏🏾 This practice isn’t just a theory of music - it’s a profound theory of relationship that reinforces the immense value of human connection. 👥 To truly engage in this vital call and response process, we must be willing to be vulnerable, putting our authentic selves out there for the group. 💗 But it’s a two-way street - the real power comes when we actively listen and creatively incorporate the feedback, allowing it to shape us in the moment. 👂🏾 This openness doesn’t just make us better musicians or speakers, it draws us into deeper, more meaningful bonds with our community. 🕊️ Embracing the vulnerability and active listening of call and response is how we build the sustaining, empowering connections that have uplifted the Black church for generations. 🙌🏾 Who’s ready to raise their voice and respond? mic drop🎤 #TedTalk #tedxtalks #CommunityBuilding #vulnerabilityisstrength #ActiveListening #whatcommunitysoundslike #blackchurch #ourstoryisone

It is true that music unites, and this concept holds an extra significance for those in diaspora. In this piece for Delilah Magazine UCLU, I talk about Lebanese singer Fairuz, her sociopolitical importance, as well as her impact on collective cultural memory in the Arab region and beyond!

CALLING ALL DISABLED MUSICIANS!!! I am, alongside a group of disabled musicians, in the process of trying to create a non-profit organization (we are NOT a non-profit yet, we are working towards it) for and by Disabled Musicians. We would like to gauge a few things; issues of access, representation, and blatant systematic ableism in the music scene. Our goals are to advocate for disabled musicians, help with career, and more. What do we need: We need disabled musicians to take our survey so we can assess a variety of access, representation and issues of blatant ableism. You MUST BE 18 years or older to take the survey! Please: Share within your network, even if you are just an ally! #Survey #Disabled #DisabledMusicians #Musicians #AbleismInTheMusicScene #Access #DisabilityRights #Advocacy #Music

Still glowing after a wonderful opening night at the Greek National Opera! The GNO generously donated 10 tickets for Living Opera community members to attend the show, and it has sparked an incredible ripple effect in just a few short days: 1) I had the privilege of meeting members of our community in Athens, learning firsthand about the unique challenges they face. 2) Our community members connected with each other, building new friendships and strengthening their networks. 3) What started as a shared evening at the opera is already evolving into collaborative opportunities. This experience reinforced something I deeply believe: small gestures can create lasting impacts. Whether it's giving someone a seat at the table—or in this case, in the audience—these moments can lead to meaningful connections, new ideas, and long-term growth. As leaders in various sectors, we have so many ways to foster community and inspire change, often with simple, thoughtful actions. CTA: What small gesture can you make today that might have a bigger effect than you imagine?

LinkedIn Word up Wednesday. Todays message is “Know your worth”. I came across this and wanted to share. A violinist played for 45 minutes in the New York subway. A handful of people stopped, a couple clapped, and the violinist raised about $30 in tips. No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. In that subway, Joshua played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars. Two days before he played in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out a Boston theatre, and the seats averaged about $100. The experiment proved that the extraordinary in an ordinary environment does not shine and is so often overlooked and undervalued. There are brilliantly talented people everywhere who aren’t receiving the recognition and reward they deserve. But once they arm themselves with value and confidence and remove themselves from an environment that isn’t serving them, they thrive and grow. Your gut is telling you something. Listen to it if it’s telling you where you are isn’t enough! Go where you are appreciated and valued. Know Your Worth. #lifelessons #motivation #growth