"Ever since elementary school, music and the performing arts have always played a large role in my life — whether it was in choir, musicals, or recitals. Since music is what brings me joy, I know that going forward I want the arts to be a part of my career in some shape or form" — so writes Adam Ouellet, a 20-year-old singer making his California debut as a summer intern with Music at Kohl Mansion.
I met Ouellet at Music@Menlo, where Music at Kohl Mansion Executive Director Patricia K. Moy introduced him as hailing from Worcester's College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, which has a strong Summer Internship Program, developed through the network of Holy Cross alumni, parents, and friends throughout the country. This year 165 students have internships at 120 sites offered through the program.
Ouellet is keeping a blog of his summer adventures, providing an insight into the backstage of the chamber-music business:
Last month I had the pleasure of attending Music at Kohl Mansion’s Board of Director’s meeting. This month, once again, I was invited to attend the meeting, but this time they invited me to sing for them! Considering that MAKM is a chamber music series, I thought that German lieder would be most appropriate for the venue. I have provided video links of the two pieces I sang: Das Fischermädchen and Nacht und Träume by Franz Schubert.Following my musical prelude, the meeting was quickly underway with several important topics to be discussed, including the upcoming Board of Directors retreat. The retreat was proposed as an exercise to facilitate team-building within the board and to encourage the brain-storming of ideas for MAKM’s future programs and vision. Not only will the retreat help the board explore significant topics like MAKM’s financial future and fund-raising, but it will help form deeper personal connections between board members.
During my time at MAKM, I’ve learned that what makes a small arts non-profit so unique is the personal connections that are created not just between board boarders, but between patrons and family-members and neighbors. In a sense, since Music at Kohl is so intimate and small, it fosters its own community, which is one of the most important goals of a non-profit organization.
Another connection between Music@Menlo and Music at Kohl Mansion is the scheduled appearance of the Menlo festival-opener Escher Quartet at Kohl Mansion on Nov. 16, performing Haydn, Shostakovich, and Dvořák.