[Kelly Hall-Tompkins & Mark O'Connor at Music Kitchen Performance (New York Times)]
“44th Music Kitchen Performance of the String Quartet #2 'Bluegrass' and Appalachia Waltz by Mark O'Connor
Turning Point Youth Shelter, Brooklyn – May 18, 2010
**New Venue**
Kelly Hall-Tompkins, violin; Mark O’Connor, violin; Gillian Gallagher, viola; Patrice Jackson, cello
“Dear Friends of Music Kitchen,
Tonight's Music Kitchen was another exciting foray into a new venue in New York City's rich, diverse metropolis. In addition to the two wonderful church shelter programs that we have the opportunity to serve, I am really excited to bring Music Kitchen concerts back to a full-time homeless shelter. As a result of their budget cuts and subsequent restructuring, the Olivieri Center for Homeless Women, my initial Music Kitchen shelter partner, has been unable to resume hosting Music Kitchen performances, so I was happy to respond to an unsolicited appeal from a new shelter resulting from the recent New York Times feature.
“This concert was unique in many ways: not only was it a new venue and partnership, but it represented the very first concert in the outer boroughs - this time Brooklyn. This concert was even more unique because our audience were the clients of two youth shelters - one temporary shelter where the clients are runaways aged 16-20 and the second, an all-women's shelter, where the clients range up to age 25. There were so many remarkable human stories and interactions which unfolded in this one concert that it's difficult to capture them all in this narrative. There are even many additional layers which I was only able to discover upon debriefing with the shelter staff afterward as several of us rode back to Manhattan on the subway. But following is a snapshot of my experience of last night's concert.
“First of all, it became evident right away as the clients entered the room that homelessness combined with near adolescence would be a brand new challenge for Music Kitchen concerts. Some were talkative with us right away as they entered in a fresh and youthful way, while many had the wait and see approach. Naturally when we started playing, since we were completely new visitors for them, we had their rapt attention. We began with Mark's calm and nostalgic work- Appalachia Waltz, the version for just 2 violins. Their attention lasted for all of 5 minutes, if that.
"Then there were snickers to the left, and a bit of antsy fidgeting began as some of the young listeners, in typical peer pressure fashion, were looking around the room to gauge whether or not it was 'ok' to enjoy this. Many others seemed to ignore this age old drama and actually began to open up to us and the performance from the beginning. Despite all these conflicting attitudes, I felt the energy in the room begin to settle and soften. But considering it was a slow, melodious work - it was in fact 2 minutes too long for a group of young people not sure exactly what to expect from the evening and without a swing to something more lively.
“This made it the perfect introduction to our next, very energetic work - perfect for the audience, particularly at this moment. I explained a bit about Mark O'Connor's quartet entitled 'Bluegrass', with its motoring 'Bartok meets Appalachia' rhythms and twangy and soulful, blues-inspired melodies. 'What's Blue-grass?' one NY area native asked. 'I thought the grass was green.' Mark explained how the style of music gets its name from the tint of the grass in the distance in the hills of rural Kentucky where it originated. And then we jumped right in. There were a few puzzled looks and sounds for a couple of minutes until the listeners gained their footing, then that same young man, who quipped about the grass, set the tone for the whole group as he spoke, almost to himself over the music: 'That-is-awesome-!'. I smiled. From then on we were in!
“I explained the second movement’s special sound effect, called 'chopping', where the quartet becomes a rhythm section under various melodies, striking the hair on the string instead of drawing it in the typical lyrical fashion. Though it is based on a traditional Bluegrass technique, Mark pointed out that it also resembles a hip-hop scratch technique. We played the movement and asked afterward if the listeners had recognized the chopping technique. By this time, a couple of the young men who had previously been snickering in the beginning, had now moved closer to us for an up-close view. The staff later told me that, to their delight, some of their most troubled, hardest to reach youths were among those who moved closer. We then moved on to the slow movement, very Bluegrass, but also strongly Gospel influenced. The listeners questions became freer, the most interactive so far - one young woman asked articulately, 'How do you create that sound that's almost like bagpipes or an accordian?'
“'Excellent question', I said, and I demonstrated what harmonics are and what they can sound like when they are so expertly composed and voiced into such mysterious and soulful harmonies. Another young woman asked if we could play the theme from Titanic. I had already played it in the beginning on request, before this and most other guests had arrived. But Gillian wisely interjected that we could play it again after they listened to the final movement of the quartet, creating a little bon-bon for us to leave them with that would be more immediately familiar. With that we launched into the 4th movement with more grooving rhythms. At the conclusion of the piece, we bowed and sat for more questions.
“One youth who did not appear to be interested and made no eye contact with anyone, moved to the front row. Though she continued to stare straight ahead, I was glad that she felt comfortable to open up even just that little bit. Another young woman said of the 4th mvt, 'Now this is just a crazy fantasy in my head, but that one makes me feel like I should have pink hair and bang my head like punk music.' Actually, I could see her point - it does have a punk flair to it.
“More questions, the environment became even warmer and almost festive as we had an easy going exchange with our young listeners - 'How can you read all those notes like that?' I showed her the music and briefly explained that although we all learned as children, it's never too late. I showed her one particular passage and tried to demystify it. I also told her that this music is particularly complex to read because it takes rhythms which are naturally part of our American culture and it has to notate them in a European classical language - the result is very complex to just sit down and read the first time. Mark continued that after we have put so much time into learning the notes and rhythms, we're no longer really reading the notes but merely reminding ourselves of what has been internalized.
“One beautiful and obviously intelligent young woman, who had been riveted from the very beginning, constantly taking in my every move, finally began to speak up. Could you tell me the difference between the violin and the viola? Gillian and I held up our instruments and explained the difference in register of all the instruments. No - it was becoming apparent that we had a former player on our hands - she wanted specifics. Can you tell me the names of the strings? I did so and asked, 'Do you play?' 'I used to,' she said shyly, looking down. I felt a pang for whatever lost opportunities were in her past and for what I wanted in that moment to help her achieve in her future. 'You should pick it up again.' I said, hoping to encourage her. 'How can I afford lessons, an instrument…?' she said, with overwhelm. There is always a way, we all encouraged, scholarships, people willing to help. Many in the room wanted to believe us. We shared briefly some of our personal stories of opportunities and scholarships coming our way.
“I felt it was a good time to reprise one of my favorite quotes, which I had already printed for them on today’s 'The Music You heard Today/Favorite Quote of the Day' cards. I had also recently dramatized it for a younger group of students at a school in Florida where I was recently a visiting artist: 'Follow your Bliss and the Universe will open doors where there were only walls' I recited. Then all eyes followed me to the cinder block wall in the back as I slapped the bare wall- 'You see this solid wall? It looks impenetrable and imposing - but if you follow your bliss, the solid wall can become a door to places you didn’t know were possible.' 'You know how many walls I have in front of me?' one young woman quipped saucily, half dishearteningly to herself, half in jest. I knew that there was no way I could fully understand the experience she might be speaking from, but still I tried to speak words of encouragement.
“Soon after that, another young woman asked if she could play one of our instruments. Gillian immediately rose to the occasion, patiently showing her how to hold her viola and coaching her in the delicate art of making sound with the bow. The youthful client looked truly happy while she tried it and we all shared laughs and jokes as she got the hang of it and got into it. This was just enough to give the other young woman, who had taken lessons before, enough confidence to come up as well. She approached with a combined sense of inhibitions and longing for an old friend. We joked that she would have to lose her beautiful long fingernails in order to take lessons, but for the moment, she reconnected with what was obviously a dormant passion. We applauded her tone as she put bow to string, trying to remember how.
“At the end of our performance, as promised, I played the melody from 'My heart will go on,' the theme from the movie Titanic. Afterwards, we were greeted warmly by many of the young listeners as they stayed for the refreshment reception provided by the shelter staff. I feel we made a difference here – many of our listeners asked us when we were coming back. I do look forward to returning though, as always, this particular moment in time and these young people will likely be long gone.”
“Thank you for your support of Music Kitchen concerts.
Sincerely,
Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Violinist/Founder/Director
Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Violin
Turning Point Youth Shelter
Mark O'Connor,Violin
Gillian Gallagher, Viola
Patrice Jackson, Cello
Former Music Student
