Museaum Concerts: A commitment to music education

Music is universal. It transcends age, culture, religion, and nationalistic borders. At any moment, the right piece can cut through ages of political, social, and dogmatic segregation. It can create a shared experience that defies decades of prejudice. That’s what makes music so special. Despite its ability to connect us to the human condition, music was once reserved for specific audiences. Earlier societies were denied access to some of the most beautifully artistic pieces ever written. This represents music’s historical tragedy. It created a vacuum, where period pieces were locked away from others. Only centuries later was music considered accessible for all. And it is in that spirit that we finally understood its power as an artistic medium to reach every human heart.

We are fortunate to live in a time where music is freely accessible. We can see any performance we wish and listen to any genre we choose. However, despite our ability to listen to anything, our decision to delve into early music may still be limited by our upbringing – by no fault of our own. It is in the spirit that Museum Concerts was created. Entering its 58th season, Museum Concerts is the oldest presenter of early music in the country. In fact, they are the only group that focuses on early music in the state of Rhode Island. In their commitment to music education, they have put on authentic concert performances for decades to help Rhode Islanders understand and appreciate music created during the 1400s to 1900s. “We delight in creating the music of past centuries,” said Museum Concerts president, Fred Jodry. Motif sat down with Jodry to shed light on their mission and what people can expect when they attend an event.

Brian Joyce (Motif): How do you select the songs that are performed? Fred Jodry: We put on performances of early music from the medieval and renaissance, so we try to hire groups of performers that studied that style and form. In fact, all performers use instruments appropriate for that time period. For instance, for Mozart, the performer would use a harpsichord from that era when they perform. We try to recreate performances in the style the original composer intended. BJ: I notice a lot of diversity in your musical selections. Is that purposeful?

FJ: Yes. We draw from a large body of work within a specific and wide-ranging time period (1400s to 1900s). Additionally, we try to use a variety of large and small groups to perform. We want to create authentic musical performances that match the culture and experiences specific to the artistic styles of the time. In that way, our audience gets to experience the work of a composer as close to the original as possible. We feel it’s our duty to curate a wide variety of musical styles to help Rhode Islanders appreciate the historical significance of early period music and performances. In one performance you may experience a baroque-sized orchestra, in another, you may listen to a chamber choir.

BJ: You provide discount tickets for students and low-income attendees. Is that an important initiative for Museum Concerts?

FJ: Indeed. Our goal is to make music from the past centuries affordable for everyone. We believe it’s important to expose early music to as many people as possible. That’s why we provide theater-quality experiences at a much more affordable cost. When you attend a Museum Concerts event, we want you to walk away with the same level of appreciation you would get at a traditional theater concert at a fraction of the cost. Introducing as many people as possible to the music of earlier centuries is our mission. That’s why we provide discouned ticket prices to students and low-income audiences on our website and at the door on the day of the performance.

BJ: What are you most excited about as you celebrate your 58th anniversary of Museum Concerts?

FJ: We are excited to expose music from earlier centuries to even more people. In the last couple of years, we’ve tried to focus on bringing in more artists from Europe. We want to create a more diversified selection of artists that represent music from around the world.

BJ: What is your role as the only presenter of early music in the state of Rhode Island?

FJ: Our role is to provide a museum-like experience. In a museum, their job is to curate the art of past centuries so enthusiasts can see what’s out there. Our job is to curate the presentation of music from past centuries, similar to how a museum curates an art collection. If we’ve done that – we’ve done our job. •

For more information about Museum Concerts, or to see their upcoming schedule, please visit their website at museumconcerts.org.

Photo: Latin-Baroque fusion ensemble Rumbarocco.