Recap: Tonight we went to council and the letter was read. There was discussion with regard to what the rec department does (and doesn't do) with respect to the arts.
Ken Harding made the comment that traditionally the arts have been outside the purview of the town because their recreational programming is 'facilities-based' (ie. civic centre based).
Someone also remarked that now could potentially be a good time to explore the possibilities since the civic centre is apparently due for a 'major capital project' (not sure what this is yet).
Results: The letter was referred to the parks and rec dept. with regard to what oher similiar positions are funded by other municipalities.
So....I will continue lobbying and wait to see what the parks and rec department says. I haven't given up-I think this is what Woodstock needs, and I'm ready to work for it.
Amy
Also: I will be enjoying the last day of school and the Montreal jazz fest so don't expect a new post until July 5th. When you will all come and hear Tracy, Adam Mahoney and others at Fusion (8pm). right?
Monday, June 25, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
sweet summer
Thanks everyone for your best wishes for the summer. I haven't been this mellow for quite some time!
There are tons of great concerts coming up. Check out the list below, and feel free to email if there are more I should know about.
Friday and Saturday 22/23 June: Live Music at Fusion (downtown Woodstock) 8pm, I believe
Sunday, June 24th: Fiddlehead Strings @ Saint Mark's Anglican Church, Jackson Falls. 7pm (Bach, Beatles, more)
Thursday, July 5th: Tracy Anderson jazz ensemble at Fusion-Carleton County's finest improvisors. 8pm.
Thursday, July 19: Music on the Meduxnekeag pt. 2 : Palmer family (folk and gospel)
Tracy Anderson (jazz nouveau)
Seth Anderson (singer-songwriter)
This is downtown at the Farm Market, 7:30 p.m.
More to come . . . .
Also, I will be taking the proposal to council next Monday. ill keep you posted on how that goes.
There are tons of great concerts coming up. Check out the list below, and feel free to email if there are more I should know about.
Friday and Saturday 22/23 June: Live Music at Fusion (downtown Woodstock) 8pm, I believe
Sunday, June 24th: Fiddlehead Strings @ Saint Mark's Anglican Church, Jackson Falls. 7pm (Bach, Beatles, more)
Thursday, July 5th: Tracy Anderson jazz ensemble at Fusion-Carleton County's finest improvisors. 8pm.
Thursday, July 19: Music on the Meduxnekeag pt. 2 : Palmer family (folk and gospel)
Tracy Anderson (jazz nouveau)
Seth Anderson (singer-songwriter)
This is downtown at the Farm Market, 7:30 p.m.
More to come . . . .
Also, I will be taking the proposal to council next Monday. ill keep you posted on how that goes.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Lovely June
Many concerts are being planned for your enjoyment. Come and enjoy local talent and lovely music in a beautiful setting.
St Mark's church (4786, Route 540, Jackson Falls) is pleased to present MARY LEE WILSON MCKENNA in a concert of sacred music for soprano voice. The concert will be held this Sunday evening, June 10th, at 7pm.Ms McKenna describes the program as "familiar, contemporary and classical", ranging from Vivaldi, Purcell and Handel to Aaron Copland and Samuel Barber. Piano accompaniment by Carolyn Wagner.
"Music at St Mark's" is offered to the neighbourhood and to the world in thanksgiving for St Mark's having reached its 100th anniversary. The concert is without admission charge (with opportunity for donation at the door). St Mark's is a traditional New Brunswick country church with a subtly gorgeous interior (basswood, trimmed with butternut). We are anxious to hear a professionally-trained singer test its acoustic.
Another St Mark's musical evening will feature the JIGSAW WINDS (wind quartet) and UNA VOCE (chamber choir) on Thursday evening, June 14th, at 7pm, in a concert kindly sponsored by the Meduxnekeag River Association.On Sunday evening, 24 June at 7pm, Music at St Mark's presents the FIDDLEHEAD STRINGS (string quartet) in concert.
St Mark's church (4786, Route 540, Jackson Falls) is pleased to present MARY LEE WILSON MCKENNA in a concert of sacred music for soprano voice. The concert will be held this Sunday evening, June 10th, at 7pm.Ms McKenna describes the program as "familiar, contemporary and classical", ranging from Vivaldi, Purcell and Handel to Aaron Copland and Samuel Barber. Piano accompaniment by Carolyn Wagner.
"Music at St Mark's" is offered to the neighbourhood and to the world in thanksgiving for St Mark's having reached its 100th anniversary. The concert is without admission charge (with opportunity for donation at the door). St Mark's is a traditional New Brunswick country church with a subtly gorgeous interior (basswood, trimmed with butternut). We are anxious to hear a professionally-trained singer test its acoustic.
Another St Mark's musical evening will feature the JIGSAW WINDS (wind quartet) and UNA VOCE (chamber choir) on Thursday evening, June 14th, at 7pm, in a concert kindly sponsored by the Meduxnekeag River Association.On Sunday evening, 24 June at 7pm, Music at St Mark's presents the FIDDLEHEAD STRINGS (string quartet) in concert.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
The next step
Congratulations to everyone on a great run. We have unleashed an insane amount of energy in our community and people have responded.
On a serious note, I feel now is the time to ask to the town of Woodstock to support you-its talented artistic community members. Please consider reading the important letter posted below, and notify me if you are willing to add your name in support of the proposal. It's time we spoke up as a group to be counted. We have a tremendous contribution to make, and in the words of Les Mis, "the time is now, the day is near."
Best wishes to all!
Amy
182 Houlton Road
Woodstock, NB
E7M 1Z1
(506) 328-2020
amandrs@mta.ca
Dear Mayor Wright and Councillors,
I am writing to you to propose something I feel is vital to the civic life of our town. As you might know, I have been very involved with musical and artistic life in Carleton County, both as a young person and now as a formally trained musician/teacher.
Participation in many community projects (Valley Young Company’s productions of “Tommy” and “Les Miserables,” organizing “Music on the Meduxnekeag,” playing for the Historical Society’s Victorian Christmas concerts) has given me a renewed sense of the talents and passion for the arts possessed by people in Carleton County. Having organized students and volunteers of all ages and abilities, I can honestly say that participating in the arts is the most meaningful experience of community that a person can have.
That said, I have long felt that we need a focal point for the arts in our town. We are seriously lacking in recreational and cultural activities not related to sports. To be clear, I do not begrudge the resources allocated to athletics. Rather, I feel we are shortchanging people in Woodstock who are ready, willing and able to contribute to the cultural and artistic life of our town. For example, we have a sports wall of fame but no place to recognize the many people who have gone on to significant artistic careers (Mary Lee Wilson and Sally Dibblee come to mind, to name only two).
Furthermore, we have no outlet outside the school system for our younger people to develop their artistic potential, despite evidence of tremendous talent in this area! Addressing this deficit would provide substantial economic and cultural benefits to the town of Woodstock. The arts are a million dollar industry in Canada, and draw highly educated, civic-minded individuals. These people form the core of informed citizens that are necessary to a healthy town.
It’s time for the town to actively encourage the arts in the same manner they do for athletics. Support for our local talent would tremendously enhance the quality of life in our town and would reinforce the role of Woodstock as a leader among towns in the river valley. I would like to suggest that the town consider allocating funding to hire a part-time arts coordinator, similar to the recreation director they fund already. I feel this is a manageable but concrete first step in building something meaningful for the citizens of Woodstock. This person would be responsible for such things as publicizing and organizing musical, dramatic and artistic events, coordinating with various community groups (schools, historical society, River Association, churches, Old Home Week committee, anniversary celebrations, libraries,), and organizing programs for people of all ages.
A vibrant arts community benefits everyone, and is vital to maintaining a strong community. We have so much talent and energy that is currently being unfulfilled, and it is truly our loss as a town. I hope you will give this small proposal serious consideration. I would be more than willing to do further research into similar positions funded by other municipalities, and I would be happy to discuss the proposal in person. I look forward to your reply on this issue and I have attached the names of many people who support this initiative. Thanks for all you do already to make Woodstock a great place to live, and I look forward to a time when the talents and achievements for our artistic community members are supported with pride by our town.
Yours sincerely,
Amy Anderson, B. Mus
Music director, Valley Young Company
Music director, Saint James United Church
Music teacher, Hartland Community School
On a serious note, I feel now is the time to ask to the town of Woodstock to support you-its talented artistic community members. Please consider reading the important letter posted below, and notify me if you are willing to add your name in support of the proposal. It's time we spoke up as a group to be counted. We have a tremendous contribution to make, and in the words of Les Mis, "the time is now, the day is near."
Best wishes to all!
Amy
182 Houlton Road
Woodstock, NB
E7M 1Z1
(506) 328-2020
amandrs@mta.ca
Dear Mayor Wright and Councillors,
I am writing to you to propose something I feel is vital to the civic life of our town. As you might know, I have been very involved with musical and artistic life in Carleton County, both as a young person and now as a formally trained musician/teacher.
Participation in many community projects (Valley Young Company’s productions of “Tommy” and “Les Miserables,” organizing “Music on the Meduxnekeag,” playing for the Historical Society’s Victorian Christmas concerts) has given me a renewed sense of the talents and passion for the arts possessed by people in Carleton County. Having organized students and volunteers of all ages and abilities, I can honestly say that participating in the arts is the most meaningful experience of community that a person can have.
That said, I have long felt that we need a focal point for the arts in our town. We are seriously lacking in recreational and cultural activities not related to sports. To be clear, I do not begrudge the resources allocated to athletics. Rather, I feel we are shortchanging people in Woodstock who are ready, willing and able to contribute to the cultural and artistic life of our town. For example, we have a sports wall of fame but no place to recognize the many people who have gone on to significant artistic careers (Mary Lee Wilson and Sally Dibblee come to mind, to name only two).
Furthermore, we have no outlet outside the school system for our younger people to develop their artistic potential, despite evidence of tremendous talent in this area! Addressing this deficit would provide substantial economic and cultural benefits to the town of Woodstock. The arts are a million dollar industry in Canada, and draw highly educated, civic-minded individuals. These people form the core of informed citizens that are necessary to a healthy town.
It’s time for the town to actively encourage the arts in the same manner they do for athletics. Support for our local talent would tremendously enhance the quality of life in our town and would reinforce the role of Woodstock as a leader among towns in the river valley. I would like to suggest that the town consider allocating funding to hire a part-time arts coordinator, similar to the recreation director they fund already. I feel this is a manageable but concrete first step in building something meaningful for the citizens of Woodstock. This person would be responsible for such things as publicizing and organizing musical, dramatic and artistic events, coordinating with various community groups (schools, historical society, River Association, churches, Old Home Week committee, anniversary celebrations, libraries,), and organizing programs for people of all ages.
A vibrant arts community benefits everyone, and is vital to maintaining a strong community. We have so much talent and energy that is currently being unfulfilled, and it is truly our loss as a town. I hope you will give this small proposal serious consideration. I would be more than willing to do further research into similar positions funded by other municipalities, and I would be happy to discuss the proposal in person. I look forward to your reply on this issue and I have attached the names of many people who support this initiative. Thanks for all you do already to make Woodstock a great place to live, and I look forward to a time when the talents and achievements for our artistic community members are supported with pride by our town.
Yours sincerely,
Amy Anderson, B. Mus
Music director, Valley Young Company
Music director, Saint James United Church
Music teacher, Hartland Community School
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