Dennis Bathory-Kitsz said:
Kids aren't fixed. Maybe later, when inundated with tonality, their aural view
will narrow. But it doesn't start out that way.
And Les replies:
Of the many, many nails hit-upon-the-head over the years by Dennis, there's
never been one so squarely whacked. Absolutely, vividly true. For the
past three years, I've created a pair of programs ('Welcome to Classical
Music!' and 'The Mariposa Symphony Orchestra's Young Master Composers
Celebration') for the local impoverished school district wherein I visit every
single campus in this huge county and then attempt to blow their minds with
music. And Dennis is absolutely true: the younger the student, the less
entrenched in conventional music - and the amazing thing is: my volunteerism
isn't completely altruistic. These uncorrupted young minds, in their pure
reactions only barely yet tainted with THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE WAY have taught ME
things by their totally honest responses to some great, far-out pieces of
music. And wonderfully, in their unembarrassed veracity, they teach ME.
And then I challenge them to write their very own music.....and here's where
it's a little less unconventional: I adjudicate the winners following a set of
established criteria I've developed, and then I orchestrate the "winners'"
musical works, and the Mariposa Symphony Orchestra performs the kids' pieces at
our (annual) 'Independence Day Spectacular' Concert.
And so, another of the very important ways in which I try to (perhaps) undo a
little of the conventionalism which was (and continues to be) inculcated into
me against my will is to borrow perception from the innocence of youth.
Best,
Les
Les Marsden
Founding Music Director and Conductor,
The Mariposa Symphony Orchestra
Music and Mariposa? Ahhhhh, Paradise!!!
http://arts-mariposa.org/symphony.html
http://www.geocities.com/~jbenz/lesbio.html
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