The news here is about an expansion of, a new wrinkle if you will, Community of Music Makers (CoMM), which is an innovative, participatory program started by the San Francisco Symphony last summer, as part of its centennial celebrations. It was prompted by audience surveys showing that 75 percent of Symphony audiences played an instrument or sang in a chorus when they were young (and some, of course, never stopped).
To serve these past and present music makers, SFS created choral, strings, winds/brass, and chamber-music workshops for amateur singers and instrumentalists on the Davies Symphony Hall stage. Orchestra musicians mentor and rehearse the participants, over 1400 so far. "I feel as though I've been invited into the heart of the Symphony," said one of the CoMM players.
For less than the price of a ticket to a concert, amateur musicians can perform on the hallowed stage themselves — The fee is $20 for singers, $40 for instrumentalists. No auditions are required, and admission is free to observe the workshops and applaud your suddenly famous neighbors.
Photos by Kristen Loken
Registration to the next series of workshops will open in Sept. of 2012, sign up for the e-mail list to be notified.
Now comes the SFS-SFCV-CoMM combination, supported by a grant from the James Irvine Foundation: The Symphony and this august publication are collaborating in providing services to music makers/music lovers by creating a website, the CoMM/Chamber Convening Site — one more, and the final, acronym: CoMM/CCS.
It is for chamber-music aficionados, providing a membership list, featured works — currently the Beethoven String Quartet Op. 18 No. 1 in F Major — complete with sheet music, various performances, Michael Steinberg's program notes, and more.
The site offers activity streams, events of interest, and resources. As a communication hub, it carries notices such as a flutist seeking partners for playing chamber music — "Prefer SF, but I could drive to the Peninsula — not further than San Mateo or maybe to Marin" — or a violist looking for an ensemble.
A planned addition, coming in the fall, is online mentoring by SFS musicians, with personalized repertoire suggestions. On a smaller scale, with a narrow focus (on chamber music for amateurs), CoMM/CCS takes after the Symphony's wondrous Keeping Score project.
CoMM Program Administrator Lolly Lewis says the purpose of the new site is "to connect musicians to each other and to the Community of Music Makers program for further guidance and playing opportunities." Furthering that idea SFCV Executive Director Veronica Bashbush adds:
SFCV is uniquely positioned to connect, convene, and educate music lovers across the Bay Area. CoMM/CCS is an important step forward for our organization, as we learn to leverage our online platform to bring music to new audiences. The ultimate goal is to provide real tools and resources for our community that helps them engage, discover and share their musical experiences with one another.