Thursday, March 26, 2020

Music Kitchen Coronavirus Covid-19 Update


I hope that this message finds you and your family safe and well.  This is certainly a most frightening and uncertain time that we are experiencing in the world amidst the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic.  I want you to know that in accordance with CDC guidelines and for the health and safety of our shelter community, artists, partners and the world at large, we are practicing strict social distancing measures and have temporarily suspended our live performances.  However, Music Kitchen has existed for 15 years to bring comfort to those experiencing harsh and unforeseen circumstances and to bring awareness to the most marginalized among us.  And though the former designation now extends to all of us, the reality is that even in this global crisis which has infected hundreds of thousands worldwide, the homeless remain the most vulnerable among us.  The language and the strategies we are employing wholesale as a society – “Stay at home,” “Work from home,” “Drive-through testing,” “Stocking up,” “Buying PPEs,” “Closing non-essential businesses”- already leave those experiencing homelessness at a time like this with fewer options than ever to fight for their survival.  

The shelters and agencies are working very hard to adapt their services, expand accommodation infrastructure and hygiene stations, decreasing population densities to accommodate 6-feet distancing etc.  Music Kitchen is also adapting at this time of trial to continue reaching the people we serve, “Bridging the Distance,” as many of us are doing with our families, friends and colleagues at this time.  Honoring our originally scheduled March 30th performance date, we will be streaming directly to the shelters a curated video of several performances from this last year, including beloved standard repertoire and a couple of inspiring new Forgotten Voices songs.  (Please note that clients at the shelters are also practicing social distancing and will be accessing the content not as a group, but individually.) This will be followed by live interaction via Zoom, with question and answers and I’ll also have my violin handy!  The lemonade we make here is that we have the possibility of reaching a far wider nationwide community with each broadcast of “Music Kitchen Bridging the Distance” and we look forward to bringing the uplifting, healing power of music plus the sustenance of human contact during a time of isolation.

Moving forward, we would also like to share with you, our village of support, some “Music Kitchen Bridging the Distance” broadcasts to give you an unprecedented look at our work inside the shelters, including a few Forgotten Voices songs.  Please stay tuned!

Regarding our world premiere at Carnegie Hall, we are obviously watching and anxiously awaiting the time when we can safely come together in person again.  And when we do so, it will be more important than ever to hear from the Forgotten Voices in our midst.  Please stay tuned.  I know this is also a time of high economic anxiety for so many.  If you have the ability to support us at this time, your support will be critical to help us continue our work and prepare for the future.  Buying a ticket now for our Carnegie concert is another way to support our work and make your voice heard (and if the concert is rescheduled for a date that you’re unavailable, your ticket would be refunded).

I just received word that 2 people at the Olivieri Center which we have served for 15 years have been confirmed infected with Coronavirus and at least one person from the New York City homeless community has died.  Please see below for a brief video message and a Forgotten Voices song which I believe speaks to this moment in a crisis of this magnitude, “These Strings” by Angelica Negron.
"Sometimes even in the darkest moments
when you want to give up hope,
                               these strings bring hope back in." - Shelter Client

We will emerge from this stronger than ever and with greater clarity of passion and purpose.

Thank you for your support of Music Kitchen-Food for the Soul.
Stay safe and be well,
Kelly


Music Kitchen New York City - Photo by Gregory Routt


Jesse Blumberg, baritone
Kelly Hall-Tompkins, violin
Hector Falcon, violin
Margaret Dyer-Harris, viola
Grace Ho, cello
Logan Coale, double bass

Recent and Upcoming Press


  • Click here for a recent article in World Bride Magazine
  • Sanya-On-Air Podcast (Video/Audio) from 47"
  • Please stay tuned for upcoming stories on WQXR and WCBS radio and Kontrol Magazine

Forgotten Voices World Premiere

Presented in Association with Carnegie Hall

May 21, 2020 @ 7:30

Zankel Hall


Prefer to send a check?
We welcome your checks at the following address:
Music Kitchen - Food for the Soul
Attn: Kelly Hall-Tompkins
P.O. Box 907
New York, NY 10040
Thank you for your support of Music Kitchen -Food for the Soul


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