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
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