Violist AlexisMarie Nelson performs
Violist AlexisMarie Nelson and Yo-Yo Ma
Community MusicWorks
May 31, 2016
Community MusicWorks congratulates alum AlexisMarie Nelson, who
will attend The Boston Conservatory at Berklee this fall. Here, Alexis
reflects on her ongoing connection to CMW and the experience of meeting a
new pal, Yo-Yo Ma, in April.
In the spring of 2005, my grandfather pulled into a community car
wash fundraiser on the West Side of Providence. As his car was being
washed, he made small talk with another man who was also waiting there.
Who would have known that this conversation between my grandfather and
Sebastian Ruth all of those years ago would have led me to Community
MusicWorks, one of the most influential parts of my life? And
ultimately, to this point: preparing to attend The Boston Conservatory at Berklee in the fall.
CMW has truly helped form me into the person that I am today, and not
only as a musician (even though that was a big part!) I learned how to
set goals for myself in lessons and really apply myself while
practicing at home. I was able to become a strong, informed member of
the community at the same time that I was improving my technical skills
and expanding my repertoire. At CMW I discovered my love for chamber
music AND social justice. I became a member of amazing musical
ensembles, and also a family.
Growing up, I had always known I wanted to do something to change the
world. By the time I was in my early teens my sights were set on doing
so through music. After graduating from high school and spending three
years working in early childhood education as an AmeriCorps member and a
teacher assistant, my vision for the future had shifted once again. It
is now my goal to find a way to combine my love for working with the
world’s youngest citizens with my passion for music. I’m still not sure
how I’d do that yet (which is totally okay!), but I’m hoping these next
four years will send me in the right direction! I’d also love to
continue to be an active chamber musician because that is where my heart
lies.
In
April, I had the privilege of attending a convening on Cultural
Entrepreneurship in New York with Sebastian. I spent the day listening
and interacting with artists and innovators who were doing exactly what I
hope to do: make a social impact. While there, I was able to speak with
Yo-Yo Ma (omg) about my own observations of the day. I realized that
there is so much that goes into being an artist who wants to make a
change in the world. One has to have such strong intentions and well
thought out goals within their artistry and beyond to really make the
impact they hope for. It really made me think about how much thought,
time and devotion goes into a program like CMW every day. This is
something I will keep in the forefront of my thoughts as I move forward
on my own journey.
Looking back at my time as a student of Community MusicWorks, I have
so much to be grateful for. Some of my closest friends and greatest
experiences have come from CMW. The staff have always been so supportive
and caring of each and every student and I still feel that warmth every
time I visit the office or attend a concert. I’d like to say a special
thank you to Jesse Holstein, who was my private teacher, mentor and
confidant from my first day in 2005, and who I can still call on to this
day. Community MusicWorks has been and will always be a part of me, and I
hope to spread the spirit of the program with me wherever I go. I can’t
wait to see where this journey takes me.
AlexisMarie Nelson
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