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M E L A
S A R A J A N E
D A I L E Y
&
M A E S T R O
P E T E R
B A Y
A u s t i n s
C r e a t i v e
P o w e r
C o u p l e
A u s t i n , T e x a s
T h e M u s i c & M e d i c i n e C a p i t a l o f t h e W o r l d
W i n t e r
2 0 1 4 / 1 5
I N S I D E
M e l a S a r a j a n e D a i l e y
T o n y M o r r i s
D r . M i c h e l l e S c h u m a n n
T e r r i H e n d r i x
D r . R o b e r t R a d m e r
A m y L e v i n e - T s a n g
B i o n T s a n g
H e a l i n g O u r H e r o e s P r o j e c t
S t . D a v i d s C h u r c h
M u s i c , M e d i c i n e & P h i l a n t h r o p y
C e n t r a l T e x a s
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Dear Friends of Music, Medicine & Philanthropy
Welcome to the second edition of Music, Medicine &
Philanthropy Central Texas. Our publication is dedi-
cated to highlighting the talents and work of the great
musicians, health-related nonprofits, philanthropic
minded corporations & individuals and the multitalented
health professionals who do so much for our community.
How We Came About. During one of my dozen or so
week-long trips to M.D. Anderson Medical Center in
Houston, Texas where my daughter Melenie was under-
going cancer treatment, I learned about the Texas Medi-
cal Orchestra. Upon returning home to Austin I launched a Medical Orchestra with
my colleague Dr. Robert Radmer.
Our launch of the Central Texas Medical Orchestra last Fall was a great success.
As a follow-up (and since my wife doesnt like me hanging around the house), this
summer I decided to launch Music, Medicine & Philanthropy Central Texas.
Once again, please excuse my clumsy attempt at this publication since I really had
no idea what I was getting into when I started this project and still havent been able
to find someone with talent in this field who will take it on as a Labor of Love.
As you can see in the box to the left, future editions will be handled by professionals
who really do know what they are doing.
For those of you who give back to our community through your talents both in music
and medicine, THANKS from all of us whose lives and families are made whole by
the work you do!
Walter Laich, Publisher
PS. My daughter got the all clear in February, 2011 and has been
Cancer free since then
M U S I C , M E D I C I N E &
P H I L A N T H R O P Y S T A F F
Publisher
Walter Laich
ewlaich@gmail.com
Editor To Be Hired
Staff Photographer To Be Hired
Freelance Writers To Be Hired
Account Manager To Be Hired
C O M M U N I T Y A D V I S O R S
Classical Music To Be Announced
Pop Music To Be Announced
Medicine To Be Announced
Philanthropy To Be Announced
M E L A
S A R A J A N E
D A I L E Y
&
M A E S T R O
P E T E R
B A Y
A u s t i n s C r e a t i v e P o w e r C o u p l e
A u s t i n , T e x a s
T h e M u s i c & M e d i c i n e C a p i t a l o f t h e W o r l d
F a l l
2 0 1 4
M u s i c , M e d i c i n e & P h i l a n t h r o p y
C e n t r a l T e x a s
Photo by Bette Mayfield
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M M & P C T
C L A S S I C A L A R T I S T S
07 Mela Sarajane Dailey
36 Amy & Bion Tsang
P O P A R T I S T S
52 Terri Hendrix
H E A L T H - R E L A T E D N O N P R O F I T S
17 Healing Our Heroes Project
M E D I C A L O R C H E S T R A S P O T L I G H T
43 Dr. Robert Radmer, Conductor
Central Texas Medical Orchestra
C O R P O R A T E & B U S I N E S S P H I L A N T H O P Y
25 Fletch Wiley
M A K I N G A D I F F E R E N C E
27 Dr. Michelle Schumann, Director
Austin Chamber Music Center
61 Tony Morris, Producer /Host
Classical Guitar Alive
P H I L A N T H R O P Y I N A U S T I N
68 St. David's Episcopal Church
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SEPTEMBER 20, 2014 NOVEMBER 22, 2014 FEBRUARY 7, 2015 MAY 2, 2015
A N D R E W S O R D S
V I O L I N
A M Y & B I O N T S A N G
C E L L O
R O M A N Y E A R I A N
V I O L I N
K Y O U N G - J O O S U N G
V I O L I N
T E R R I H E N D R I X &
L L O Y D M A I N E S
C H R I S T I N E A L B E R T &
C H R I S G A G E
M E L A S A R A J A N E D A I L E Y & J E F F R E Y J O N E S - R A G O N A
M E L A & J E F F R E Y W I L L P E R F O R M I N B O T H C O N C E R T S !
B E N E F I T I N G
F i r s t B a p t i s t C h u r c h
9 0 1 T r i n i t y
E P I S C O P AL C H U R C H 1 5 0 0 C AP T I AL O F T E
A U T I N , T X 7 8 7 4 6
T B A T B A
2 0 1 4 / 1 5 C O N C E R T S E A S O N
D R . R O B E R T R A D M E R , C O N D U C T O R
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2 0 1 4 / 1 5 N O N P R O F I T B E N E F I C I A I R E S
P e o p l e s C o m m u n i t y C l i n i c . PCC's mission is to im-
prove the health of medically underserved and uninsured Central Texans by
providing high quality, affordable healthcare with dignity and respect.
H e a l i n g O u r H e r o e s P r o j e c t . HOHP mission is to
honor and support our military families from all eras and all branches.
S a f e P l a c e . SafePlace is ending sexual and domestic violence
through safety, healing, prevention and social change.
S w a n S o n g s . Swan Songs fulfills musical wishes at the end of life
by organizing private concerts for individuals with a terminal illness.
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C e n t r a l Te x a s M e d i c a l O r c h e s t r a
P o s t C o n c e r t R e c e p t i o n
Following each concert guests mingle with the artists and orchestra members
while being serenaded by one of Austins finest youth ensembles during a buffet reception.
Pictured is a post concert reception in the foyer of LifeAustin Church. 6
Photo by Libby Bryer
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MM&P. I want to hear about your role as Artistic Di-
rector of Life in the City, but first I would like to know
more about you as an Artist and then talk about
some of the other roles in your life. Lets start with
your career progression. Tell us about your career
path as you travelled to this point in your profession.
MSD. My career path to this point has taken very un-
expected and different turns. I'm drawn to many dif-
ferent styles and genres of music, and I have never
been one to believe that there was only one genre
that was better than another. So I feel the message
of music can be delivered through many different
forms, and from the beginning of of my career at 15,
Ive been interested in gospel music, jazz, and R&B.
It wasnt until college when I was offered a scholars-
hip to study opera that I really fell in love with classi-
cal music. I love the art form and the craftsmanship
and discipline that it takes to raise your voice and
your art to an Olympic level.
So Ive moved around in a million different ways
going back and forth - sometimes in the same
concert - from broadway to pop to classical to opera;
for me that is very fulfilling. One of my teachers once
said there are people who master certain art forms,
but he said that Im a master of variety. I dont know
if that makes me a master but I truly enjoy a varied
experience.
Mela Sarajane Dailey
Artistic Director
Life in the City
M e l a S a r a j a n e
D a i l e y
S o p r a n o
7
-
M e l a S a r a j a n e D a i l e y
C o n t d .
Over the course of my career I sang back up for country singers, was a
demo singer, sang in different churches all over, and then performed in
Carnegie Hall and as a soloist with opera companies and symphonies.
None of these experiences felt better or more important than the other
performing experiences I've had. I've always just been interested in the
story telling and with collaborating with people who I really admired per-
sonally and professionally.
MM&P. Speaking of travelling I see youve been in performances in
countries around the world. Would you share with us one or two experi-
ences that stand out and what makes them so special to you?
MSD. One of the performances that really stands out was with the Carin-
thian Symphony in southern Austria. I was on a concert called
Hollywood Classics where I sang songs from movies, and I got to per-
form in the manner of Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland. It was such a
fun event. Outside the hall they actually had a red carpet and search
lights. I had hair and make up stylists which was a girls dream! You
wouldnt expect such a place to be so over the moon about American film
music, so that made it particularly special.
MM&P. In addition to your role as soloist with choirs such as Conspirare
you also perform in musicals and operas.
Regarding musicals and operas what was, or is, your favorite role and
your most challenging role? What about these roles made them your fa-
vorite or most challenging?
MSD. The most challenging performance I've had was in he Verdi Req-
uiem. I love and adore that piece of music I think its his very best opera
without being one. I find it difficult and challenging because there is so
much emotional content there. Verdis writing is so rich and expressive
but requires the soprano in particular to perform some pretty athletic
feats which one has to make sound easy. Just like in "La Traviata" where
Verdi writes for three different types of soprano within the one role of Vio-
letta, you are asked in the Requiem to do much the same. You must be
ethereal, so transparent, and angelic in some movements especially to-
wards the end, but you also have to be fully dramatic in a vocal range
which requires some very low notes and very present high cs. Its a feat
to be able to pull this off but also so rewarding and worth every bit of time
and energy that any soloist puts into it.
Mela, Peter & Colin
out on the Town
-
MM&P. Since our publication focuses
on Music & Medicine has there ever
been a time where the medical profes-
sion played a significant role in your
life or the life of a loved one?
MSD. Medicine has played and con-
tinues to play a significant role in my
life and my familys life. When my
son was 14 months old I suffered a
series of several neurological at-
tacks and for about a year I strug-
gled to identify a clear diagnosis
which was MS. It has been some-
thing that I am always aware of whe-
ther its what Im going to eat or how
Im going to take care of my body or
how much sleep Im going to get. I'm
fortunate to have spent the last five
years of my life appearing and fee-
ling like someone who doesn't have
MS. I have an incredible team to
manage my symptoms and I can still
live a happy, very fulfilling and vi-
brant life.
P i c n i c k i n g o n t h e l a w n o f A u d i t o r i u m
M e l a a n d f r i e n d s
P h o t o b y
X x x x x x x x x
That wouldnt be the case if not for
the tremendous help. I do believe
its been a mind/body/spirit continuai
healing for me.
I dont know that I will ever be healed
from MS but I know that it cannot be
the main focus of my life. I believe
there are very gifted people in the
healing arts that with cooperation
can make life better for people like
me who have the challenge of an
auto-immune disease
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M E L A
S A R A J A N E
D A I L E Y
S O P R A N O
J E F F R E Y
J O N E S -
R A G O N A
T E N O R
CCC E N T R A LE N T R A LE N T R A L TTT E X A SE X A SE X A S MMM E D I C A LE D I C A LE D I C A L OOO R C H E S T R AR C H E S T R AR C H E S T R A B E N E F I T C O N C E R T
F O R
S A F E P L A C E
F E B R U A R Y 7 , 2 0 1 5
F E A T U R I N G
MM&P. Tell us about Mela as instructor at the
University of Texas. What courses do you teach
and what has been your experience as an in-
structor?
MSD. I'm enjoying my new role as a voice
teacher for the musical theater division in the
Department of Theater and Dance at UT. I have
14 students and we really dive into how they
can become the most efficient and effective
communicators.
I come from the school that great singing
comes from being consistent and being able to
genuinely communicate. Many things can get
in the way of that, so we really focus on elimi-
nating any muscle captivity from the phonating
or singing process. I love their enthusiasm, and
since many of them have not studied voice be-
fore this is a chance for them to be successful
on their own and to turn their singing into a real
craft.
-
M e l a
S a r a j a n e
D a i l e y
C o n t d .
MM&P. In addition to your Ar-
tistic career youre also Artistic
Director for Life in the City.
Tell us about Life in the City,
how it came about, what it
does, who you serve and your
professional role with this or-
ganization?
MSD. One of the biggest joys
and passions of my life has
been to be the Artistic Director
of Life in the City, a United
Methodist Church which is
really progressive, involves all
aspects of the arts,welcomes
creativity and critical think-
ing,and a whole mind/ body/ spirit approach to
your spiritual life. Its been evolving since 2012.
It started out at First United Methodist once a
month as one of their services in the evening
and has grown to the point where it is now its
own United Methodist Church with an incredible
pastor, Valerie Sansing, which meets at
11:00am at the Long Center in Rollins Theater.
We are so fortunate to have this great commu-
nity of actors, singers, dancers and instrumen-
talists,and I feel like this position gives me a
chance to use all of my training to do something
much more important than to entertain but to
use the arts to heal and inspire and to move
through all kinds of life situations like moving
through grief.
Moving through any sort of difficulty that I feel
that we as a community can do together means
no one has to be alone. I was really drawn to
this because its not a church not based on ru-
les of whos in and whos out of this club but
really based on relationships and meeting peo-
ple where they are in the present moment. Life
in the City is a great beacon of hope for me and
my family and is a great source of community
and friendship that Im able to have with 120
people and growing. In one service we could do
Make Our Garden Grow from Bernstein's
"Candide, sing a Sting song, a Katy Perry
song,and sing a traditional hymn all in one
worship service.
-
MM&P. Has any past instructor in your life influenced the way you teach? What made these individuals so special and how do you incorporate what youve learned from them in your instruction to your students?
MSD. I've been so fortunate to have been
able to work with the best conductors in-
cluding my husband conductor Peter Bay,
and my dear friends Bob Bernhardt and
Craig Hella Johnson who have helped to
shape me as a musician. Even just
spending time with that caliber of musician
has informed my musical study and proc-
ess.
I've also been extremely lucky to have
worked with some of the best vocal techni-
cians including Martha Deathrage at the
University of Texas, Robert White at Juil-
liard, and most intensely with Dale Dietert
at Southern Methodist University. Each
have helped me in different ways both mu-
sically and technically.
I still take my most challenging pieces to
Dale and within the span of an hour we
can work through an entire opera. He is a
particularly gifted communicator and has a
tremendous ear. The best a vocalist can
hope to accomplish is to know how to get
out of their own way in order to access the
best and most free sound.
I couldn't be more grateful for the thought-
ful guidance I've received which makes
my singing experience consistently free
and dependable.
M E L A S A R A J A N E D A I L E Y
P E R F O R M I N G
H A N D E L S S E M E L E
-
MM&P. Artist, Teacher, Artistic Director, wife and
Mother -- quite a few roles and demands on your
time. Do you ever feel overwhelmed and how do you
manage to successfully accomplish and balance all
these roles? Is there ever any time just for Mela?
MSD. With all of my roles, each of which is very im-
portant to me, especially that of wife and mother,
there are lots of demands on my time. But Im grate-
ful for those demands. Im grateful for the opportuni-
ties -to be an artistic director, an artist,and a teacher.
Even with having a beautiful family that I treasure so
much, there are times when I feel overwhelmed.
My best way to try to work through those feelings has
been to be honest with myself and recognize when
I'm starting to feel overwhelmed. I acknowledge that
I'm not capable of doing x, y, or z at this very moment
so I must make different choices and have some flexi-
bility on what I'm able to do.
I also try not to over-schedule, but make time for me-
ditation. I do have time to turn off all technology to
just be in the world and really appreciate each place
whether thats spending time with Life in the City, ap-
preciating my time with my son or with my husband,
appreciating my study in whatever performance Im
working on. That has been a great gift for me to just
acknowledge and be in the present moment. It also
helps to have a great therapist. It's another great
component to mental and spiritual health to have a
professional who is able to help me navigate what Im
feeling and how can I work through this in the best
possible way.
Mela Sarajane Dailey
& Scott Kluksdahl
-
MSD. Im really excited about all aspects of my
life and what the future holds for personal and
professional growth. Im excited to see how
Life in the City can make a difference in this
city and how it can make a difference for peo-
ple who are struggling with mental illness,
with addiction, with depression and anxiety.
Our focus is to try to heal the mind, the body,
and the spirit.
So seeing how art can play a role in that, how
we can bring joy and art to kids and teens and
equip them to be the future leaders who ac-
knowledge art as a part of how we connect to
one another, how we develop our own person
and soul and how we can express all the depth
that is inside each of us - these are our goals.
Im so honored and excited to be part of all of
this. Im excited to see what I can do to be a
better performer, to become a better communi-
cator and medium for whatever composer is
trying to say.
I'm excited for all these opportunities and I look
forward to each new and different avenue I
travel.
M E L A S A R A J A N E D A I L E Y
W I T H J A M E S L A R T H &
H E AT H R I D D L E S
MM&P. One final
question. Tell us about
your vision for the future
in all of your
various roles?
-
DID YOU
KNOW?
Studies have
shown that
Music Majors
have the highest
acceptance rate
to Medical
School of any
College
Major!
Think about it!
Photo by Leslie Knowlin
-
Multiple sclerosis and the MS movement
everyone engaged in addressing the chal-
lenges of MS today while moving toward
long-term solutions for tomorrow become
better known each year.
BUT MORE MUST BE DONE. Every connection
counts when it comes to increasing aware-
ness and support of our cause. Every indi-
vidual we connect with personally, every
letter we write to an elected official, every
person in our Facebook network, every
poster we put up, every dollar we raise,
every video viewed each connection has
the opportunity to change the world for
people affected by MS.
A W A R E N E S S E V E R Y C O N N E C T I O N C O U N T S
-
LaTronda
Humphries
CEO
17
H e a l i n g O u r
H e r o e s P r o j e c t
LaTronda Humphries is the Founder & CEO of
Healing Our Heroes Project (HOHP). HOHP is a
nonprofit organization that facilitates 5day/4night
therapeutic recreational retreats for military families.
LaTronda is the wife of 17 years to a disabled vet-
eran and she knows firsthand what it takes for mili-
tary marriages and families to succeed. She has a
true passion for marriages, especially those of our
nations heroes.
LaTronda has a dual masters degree in Marriage
and Family Therapy as well as Counseling and is
currently pursuing her Doctoral degree with a spe-
cialization in military families and culture.
Healing Our Heroes Projects concept was birthed
after LaTrondas family attended a Project Sanctu-
ary recreational retreat in Colorado. LaTronda be-
lieves that if HOHP can get the family reconnected
as a unit, then they can understand that their
strength lies within their family bond. That strength
alone will help them cope with another deployment,
illnesses, unemployment, or long VA waits.
-
Her husband Prince had previously deployed
numerous times to Iraq and Afghanistan and
was diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disor-
der (PTSD). With all the medication Prince
was prescribed and all the counseling he at-
tended nothing had more of a lasting impact on
the family than the retreat. After the retreat La-
Tronda knew that she had to assist other sol-
diers reintegrate into their families and commu-
nities. In December 2012 Healing Our Heroes
Project was founded.
MM&P. Who are the people you serve, and
what are the services you provide for them?
PH. We serve a mix of active duty, veterans,
and wounded warriors and they are from all five
branches of the military.
Retreats are structured to give the family
adequate time to begin to decompress, de-
stress and really commence the healing cy-
cle.
Retreats include the entire family (children
and spouse)/support system. This enables
the family to heal together with everyone un-
derstanding their role and importance to the
overall process. Childrens programs at the
retreat address the specific needs of each
child while the parents are engaged in
courses more appropriate for them, such as
Healthy Marriage and Financial Peace
classes.
No chain of command reporting eases pro-
fessional concerns and allows for open and
honest discussion. The candor allows for
more truthful assessments of needs and cur-
rent status and facilitates the identification of
more appropriate needs-based solutions.
Families that
create together
stay together
H e a l i n g
O u r
H e r o e s
P r o j e c t
C o n t d .
-
H e a l i n g O u r H e r o e s
P r o j e c t . c o n t d .
Retreats are held in a secluded environment, without
the interruption of cell phones, TVs or internet. We cre-
ate a sanctuary, a place of healing outside of day-to-
day responsibilities for families to relax and begin the
process of self-improvement.
Encouragement is offered from individuals who can em-
pathize with what the family is going through. Most vol-
unteers are returning family members who are able to
give peer-to-peer understanding and support while
growing the network of families.
Only a small number of families are allowed to attend
each retreat to ensure that each familys specific needs
are met and to provide each family dedicated time for
their situation and needs.
A comprehensive eighteen month follow-up program
provides a continuity of service and support to give
these families the best chance of navigating through
ever growing statistical problems such as divorce,
suicide, and child and spousal abuse.
To Make an End-of-Year
Tax Deductible Charitable
Donation visit:
www.hohproject.org.
A dog is a mans
best friend even
while bowling.
-
H e a l i n g O u r
H e r o e s
P r o j e c t .
c o n t d .
MMP. What do you see as the im-
pact on the families and individuals
who use your services and why is it
so important for Central Texas to
have a Healing Our Heroes Project?
PH. It is important to have Healing
Our Heroes Project here in Central
Texas because one of the biggest
military, Fort Hood is right here. Not
to mention all the other bases here in
Texas.
MMP. What do the next few years
look like for Healing Our Heroes Pro-
ject both in terms of physical growth
and in the services you provide?
PH. HOHP future is extremely
bright. We have hundreds of families
currently on our wait list and between
us and Project Sanctuary there are
over 1600 families waiting to begin
their healing process. Our ultimate
goal is to facilitate one retreat a
month.
Headed to Heroes Night Out Dinner
where the couples enjoy a
4 course meal of their l iking
Came as individuals but leaving
as a member of their
comrades forever family
-
Photo by Leslie Knowlin
H O H P
c o n t d .
I realize that every family has
a unique story and in two
years I imagine there are a
great many stories that are
very special. Respecting cli-
ent confidentiality is there a
particular story that you
would be able to share?
We had a family from Ari-
zona (Tom) and one from
Fort Hood (Jerry), these
names are just for the story.
Come to find out Tom and
Jerry were in Afghanistan
together. Tom was shot in
combat and suffered life al-
tering injuries.
Jerry had to make a split
second decision to save
Jerrys life. Tom currently
has 40% of one lung and
always wished he had the
opportunity to say thank you
to the medic that saved his
life.
What are the chances that
we would get Tom and Jerry
together again, Fate? They
both were at a HOHP retreat.
The moment Jerry saw Tom
he remembered him.
After combat, its
the smallest but
intimate things that
causes a family
to reconnect.
-
Prince Humphries is a disabled veteran who
served in the U.S Army for over 10 years as
an infantry soldier and earned his place as a
Bradley Fighting Vehicle Gunner, and Infantry
Team Leader. During his time in Ft. Hood, he
was appointed as driver for the Battalion
Command Sergeant Major and leader of com-
mands personal security detachment.
Prince completed peace keeping missions in
Kuwait and Korea. While serving in the
Army, he completed tours during Operation
Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring
Freedom. Throughout his career Humphries
earned the Combat Drivers Badge, Army
Commendation Medal, Army Service Ribbon
and Combat Infantry Badge and other awards.
Following his last tour in Afghanistan, he was
diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disor-
der (PTSD). Having had difficulties reconnect-
ing with his family, Prince understands the
importance of reintegration of the family as a
whole.
After attending a therapeutic retreat in Colo-
rado in 2012, Prince realized being out in na-
ture without the big city distractions created
the perfect atmosphere to bond with his family
again.
Feeling inspired, in December 2012, Prince
and his wife LaTronda of 17 years founded
Healing Our Heroes Project (HOHP),
Although Prince will never be 100% healed
from the PTSD, he receives healing by help-
ing other military families start their ongoing
healing process.
P r i n c e H u m p h r i e s
O n e S o l d i e r s S t o r y
Prince receiving the
TX-17 Congressional
Veteran Commendation
from Congressman
Bil l Flores at the
Pfluger vil le
Rotar y Club
-
Photo by
Dell Holl ingsworth
Laich Financial Planning Group Laich Financial Planning Group
Pleased to Suppor t
The Central Texas Medical OrchestraThe Central Texas Medical OrchestraThe Central Texas Medical Orchestra
Business Planning Fund Raising
Medical Entrepreneurs & Nonprofit Organizations
Your Trusted Guide Through all Lifes Financial Jour neys!
-
MM&P. Lets start by talking about
your multifaceted career as a per-
former, Instrumental Director, com-
poser and music orchestrator (if that is
the correct term). How and when did
you get started and what was your ca-
reer progression.
I grew up in Seattle, and since I was
ten years old I knew I was going to be
a musician (started out on piano since
my older brother played, but hated it.
All I wanted to do was play baseball,
until I got a trumpet. Everything
changed!). I had great leadership in jr.
high and high school, playing in band,
orchestra, and stage band (big band). I
knew I wanted to learn how to play
jazz, so at age 18 (in 1965), I started
attending the University of North
Texas.
It was a great time to be at North
Texas: tremendous musicians coming
off the road to escape the draft; ex-
tremely gifted players; a very challeng-
ing but rewarding time. As a high
school student I also went to the Stan
Kenton Clinics, where Stan brought his
entire big band for a week of clinics
and playing. During college I attended
the Aspen Music Festival, which was
challenging but so rewarding.
After graduating college, I continued
playing, but I was increasingly more
involved in arranging and producing
records. Everything in my playing days
seemed to prime me for this. I am
pretty much a self-taught arranger, us-
ing my ears (and yes, all those years
of theory).
MM&P. Tell us about a particularly
challenging time in your career. How
did you overcome the challenge and
either turn it into a learning experience
or a success?
When I was in college in the 60s,
drugs became more prevalent on cam-
puses across the country, and I found
myself using all kinds of drugs, almost
as an experiment. Drugs took over my
life for a time, but after I was married
and our son was born, I was over-
whelmed by Gods love for me, and
that love allowed me to abandon drugs
with no withdrawal whatsoever. It was
a miracle; becoming a Christian
changed my life forever.
F l e t c h W i l e y
M u s i c i a n , C o n d u c t o r , C o m p o s e r &
M u s i c O r c h e s t r a t o r
-
F l e t c h W i l e y
C o n t d .
MM&P. I see youve travelled worldwide in your performances. Was
there any one tour or concert that was particularly special and what
makes it stand out for you?
Ive had the privilege of travelling to Turkey several times to play and
share my life. The Turks are very caring and hospitable people, and
they love music! Their history is rich.
Recording with different orchestras in London is also very special to me:
great players (with great instruments!), studios, and engineers.
MM&P. What is your current music focus at this time?
Being a musician in the 21st century requires a certain nimbleness and
the ability to wear many hats. I arrange and sequence music for artists
at my home studio, while also playing around Austin and traveling a bit
and enjoying a resurgence of songwriting.
MM&P. What do you see the next five years looking like for you in each
of the different areas of your career?
Some more traveling to perform, teach, and mentoring young musicians.
Being a multi-faceted player/arranger/producer with over 40 years in the
music business gives me a special perspective on where weve been,
and where we might be headed.
People love music more than ever, and sometimes they dont mind pay-
ing for it!
FLETCH WILEY-MUSIC FOR ALL OCCASIONS
www.fletchwiley.com fletch.wiley@gmail.com 571.275.1201
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-
D r. M i c h e l l e
S c h u m a n n
D r . M i c h e l l e
S c h u m a n n
S o l o i s t , Te a c h e r
A r t i s t i c D i r e c t o r
A u s t i n C h a m b e r
M u s i c C e n t e r
MM&P. Youve been successful in sev-
eral different areas concert pianist, Ar-
tistic Director, and University Professor.
In this interview Id to touch on each of
these areas. So lets start with concert
pianist. Tell us about your career path
from the first time you touched a piano to
where you are today.
MS. Music has been a part of my life
since I was a baby. While I didnt have
any professional musicians in my house,
my mom was involved in community
choirs, singing in the local German choir,
and my parents often had classical mu-
sic playing in the house. I have four
older siblings (and one younger sibling)
and everyone played an instrument. So,
as I grew up, I knew playing an instru-
ment would be a normal aspect to my
life. When I was four, my parents
bought a piano, and at age five I started
taking lessons.
27
-
Its funny, because I completely
remember being in the kitchen
with my mom when she called the
local piano teacher to see if she
had room in her studio. It was so
exciting! I dont remember a lot
about my early piano lessons.
I do remember my very first recital
piece a sweet little piece in a
minor called, Have You Seen a
Bird Today?and I DO remem-
ber the amazing piano cake that
was served at the reception!
I really loved playing the piano, right
from the beginning. I loved feeling
my fingers fly on the keyboard, but
mostly I loved being able to express
myself through music.
I loved to close my eyes while play-
ing, and just drift of into another
world, letting the music overtake me.
I felt a powerful connection to music
and to the imagination that could be
ignited inside of me through the fan-
tastic repertoire I got to learn and per-
form.
I was always a real practicer and
diligently did what my teachers told
me to do. Nevertheless, my studies
didnt become really serious until I
was 13 years old and my family
moved to Cleveland, Ohio.
I began piano lessons in the prepara-
tory department of the Cleveland In-
stitute of Music and later was a mem-
ber of the exclusive Young Artists
Program at CIM.
It was a fantastic program where I
went to high school for only the morn-
ing and then had intensive music
training every afternoon. I had multi-
ple lessons a week, regular chamber
music, theory, history, pedagogy, and
dalcroze eurhythmics.
I am grateful every day for the fantas-
tic training I received at CIM. It was
great to be surrounded by serious
musicians and it really set the stage
for me as I began a life in music.
I was 14 years old when I first got the
opportunity to play chamber music. I
was at a summer piano camp (at
CIM) and there were two pianists at
the camp who also played violin and
cello. My teacher put us together to
perform a Mozart Piano Trio (in B-flat)
and it was a hugely meaningful ex-
perience. I could not believe how fun
it was to play music with other peo-
ple. The piece was great and I loved
learning my part and seeing how it fit
together with the other parts.
I equally enjoyed being the soloist
and being the supporting role and
loved the feeling of making music
with other people. After this experi-
ence, I knew that chamber music was
my destiny! Nothing had ever been
more exhilarating, emotionally gratify-
ing, and intense and I knew that I
had to have more, more, more!
Although all of my degrees are in
piano performance (I have a Doc-
tor of Musical Arts from The Uni-
versity of Texas at Austin), collabo-
rative piano and chamber music
always played a huge role through-
out my studies. I knew if I wanted
to be a chamber musician, I had to
become the best pianist I could
be and I felt that studying solo
piano was the smartest way to get
there.
I had GREAT teachers throughout
my schooling (Olga Radosavljevich
at Cleveland Institute of Music,
Marilyn Engle at the University of
Calgary, and Gregory Allen and
Anton Nel at The University of
Texas), plus I had tremendous op-
portunities to work closely with
great teachers at summer pro-
grams (John Perry, Gil Kalish, An-
ton Kuerti, Emanuel Ax, Peter
Serkin, James Dick, and Anne
Epperson).
I feel like I draw on the great teach-
ing of my mentors everyday and
my playing is a wonderful combina-
tion of so much of their expertise.
-
D r . M i c h e l l e
S c h u m a n n
C o n t d
I always did a lot of playing
and performing while I was a
student. In addition to de-
gree recitals, I had many op-
portunities to perform with
orchestra (both as a soloist
and as a pianist within the
orchestra) and I played and
organized more collaborative
recitals and chamber music
concerts than I could proba-
bly count.
When it was time to embark
on a professional career, my
life didnt really change all
that much. I was always
working towards similar out-
comes a life that included
performing (both solo and
chamber music), new music
(I was always involved in
new music ensembles
throughout my schooling),
teaching, and organizing
events.
The Austin Chamber Music
Center is Active Year Round in our
Community in a Wide-Range of
Educational & Performance
Activities
-
M i c h e l l e S c h u m a n n h o s t s
A C M C s 2 0 1 4 F u n d r a i s e r
A M i d s u m m e r ' s N i g h t M u s i c
a t T h e M a n s i o n
In 2002, the year before I graduated with my DMA from UT, I got a job
as Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor,
and four years later, I was appointed as the Artistic Director of the Aus-
tin Chamber Music Center.
While both of those positions keep me super busy and deeply engaged,
I also do special collaborations with other organizations (Ballet Austin
and Conspirare) and I performed at other festivals and music series
across the U.S. and abroad.
-
D r . M i c h e l l e
S c h u m a n n
C o n t d .
MM&P. Share with us your
experiences as Artistic
Director of ACMC.
MS. When I took on the
position, I had no idea what
it would all really entail. I
knew a lot about program-
ming repertoire and I had a
bunch of connections to
great players. The one as-
pect of the position that I
didnt know very much
about was the concept of
community engagement
and connecting our great
artform to many different
kinds of people.
It has been so gratifying to
connect through music so
many Austonians. Through
concerts, our education
programs, and outreach, I
am able to have incredible
experiences with people
from all different walks of
life. Ive had so many very
special experiences and
hope to have many more in
the future!
M i c h e l l e
w i t h A C M C s
B u s i n e s s M a n a g e r
O r a S h a y & F o u n d e r
F e l i c i t y C o l t m a n
-
M i c h e l l e S c h u m a n n i n P e r f o r m a n c e
P h o t o b y
O r a S h a y
MM&P. I believe youre a professor at Mary
Hardin Baylor? Tell us about this part of your
career in terms of courses you teach and why
you teach these particular courses.
MS. Well, teaching has been a part of my life
since I was fifteen years old. I began by teach-
ing some of my high school teachers chil-
dren and I never looked back.
Teaching at UMHB has been extraordinarily
gratifying. You learn so much about your own
artistry when you have to discover ways to
communicate that to your students.
I mostly teach applied piano (one-on-one) to
performance and education major, and also
teach a few classes (piano literature, piano
pedagogy, form and analysis, and theory). I
enjoy working one-on-one with young pian-
ists that interaction is such a great energy.
But, I also enjoy leading a classroom of stu-
dents. Its wonderful to be able to react to the
needs of a classroom observe students and
respond in the moment to what they might
need, or how they might need things to be ex-
plained. Its a very dynamic process, and I love
being kept on my toes.
-
D r . M i c h e l l e S c h u m a n n
MM&P. Recently you took on another role as mom. I see from
your Facebook postings how exciting this is for you. Talk about
this new chapter in your life.
MS. Oh, thats the best role ever! I like the way you call it a
new chapter, because it really feels that way. Im a relatively
old mom I had Ivy when I was 39 years old, but I really feel
that the timing was absolutely perfect. I had so many wonderful
performing opportunities leading up to her birth and Ive had
great experiences performing in fantastic places. Ive loved my
experiences at ACMC and UMHB, and motherhood was the
next horizon for me.
Raising my daughter has been a pure delight I just love see-
ing the world through her eyes and love that everything is so
wondrous to her. It gives me a huge respect for everything hu-
man beings do from eating, to walking, to talking to laugh-
ing, to singing, to crying. Watching her grow up makes my life
richer everyday, and I honestly feel that being a mom has made
me a better pianist, artist, and teacher.
MM&P. Finally, a question that Im especially interested in
hearing is what do the next five years look like for you in all of
your varied roles, as concert pianist, Professor, Artistic Director
and mom?
MS. You know Im funny when it comes to making goals. I
was a big goal setter when I was younger, but I was always dis-
appointed by the glass ceiling. I discovered that my job wasnt
to predict where I was going my job was to work really, really,
hard and take responsibility for creating as many great experi-
ences along the way.
So I really have no idea what the next five years will look like!
I hope for great music making, meaningful community engage-
ment, students who have profound experiences, and tons and
tons of loving experiences with my family.
D r. M i c h e l l e
S c h u m a n n
( M o m )
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34
C e n t r a l T e x a s M e d i c a l O r c h e s t r a E n s e m b l e s
A v a i l a b l e f o r
C o r p o r a t e C o m m u n i t y N o n p r o f i t
E v e n t s & G a l a s
Add a Touch of Class to Your Next Event While Support ing
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36
A m y L e v i n e Ts a n g
C e l l i s t
MM&P. Tell us about your career path from the time you first decided to
become a musician to where you are today.
ALT. My parents are/were both professional string players. I always kind of
figured I would end up in "the family business." I grew up on Manhattan's
Upper West Side with my parents and piano playing older sister. All of my
parents' friends save a very few were musicians. The same could definitely
be said for me until Bion and I moved here 12 years ago!
MM&P. Your spouse is also a celebrated artist. Tell us about the advan-
tages to being married to a classical artist and also any special challenges
this creates.
ALT. Well, if I were married to a stock broker I certainly couldn't roll over in
the middle of the night and say, "I'm stressed about measure 7, can you
help me find a better bowing, or do you think I'm just shifting too late." It's
one more thing Bion and I have in common. I think it's great. It may be es-
pecially comfortable for me since I came from a family of musicians. It's very
hard for me to imagine being married to a non- musician. The two cello mar-
riage is probably easier than most twin instrument marriages. Cellist are
known for getting on very well together- sort of like brass players, but qui-
eter.
MM&P. Tell us something about yourself that the previous questions failed
to address that doesnt normally come out in interviews about you.
ALT. I've devoted a lot of time over the past twelve years to raising our kids.
It's really fun for me to put aside music for a bit and just be on "planet kid." I
love hosting play dates and making a huge arts and crafts mess. But now
that the youngest of our three has just started Kindergarten, I'm looking for-
ward to having more freedom to pursue bigger projects and commitments
as a cellist. It's an essential part of who I am.
A m y L e v i n e
Ts a n g
-
B i o n Ts a n g
C e l l i s t
MM&P. In your many travels does any one location or concert tour
stand out and if so what made it so special to you?
BT. 2) One of my frequent summer stops is Napa Valley, CA. There,
Amy and I have had the wonderful opportunity to travel together with the
family as we both perform at the chamber music festival. We have the
privilege of staying at the guest house amongst all the rows and rows
the vines at Silverado Vineyards. From Napa, weve gone on to the Bay
area to spend time with cousins as well as catch up with one of our clos-
est friends (who was in our wedding party). Theres nothing quite like
being with the entire family in an idyllic setting, enjoying exquisite wine
and food, and making fabulous music with friends!
MM&P. Is there a special story or history attached to your cello?
BT. I play on a Workbench Series cello made by Wayne Burak from
Dallas in 2011. For years, I had heard from my colleague Andrs Diaz
that he had stopped playing on his priceless 1698 Mateo Goffriller cello
because he preferred Waynes cellos. These are essentially instru-
ments made in a Chinese factory to Waynes specifications, imported to
the US by Wayne, and then modified by Wayne to his standards.
Three years ago, I asked Wayne to bring some of his instruments down
to Austin for my students to try. He brought about 15 cellos
down. Upon first hearing, I was hooked. They all sounded great, were
so easy to play and are so affordable. (Wayne used to be Principal Cel-
list of the Fort Worth Symphony orchestra, so he knows a thing or two
about how cellos should sound and feel.) I ended up taking one from
that gathering, playing on it the next week with the Saint Paul Chamber
Orchestra, and buying it when I returned home to Texas.
My 1746 Giovanni Bianchi has been in my closet ever since!
B i o n
Ts a n g
-
P i c t u r e d i s t h e D r e s s R e h e a r s a l a t
S t . M i c h a e l s E p i s c o p a l C h u r c h t h e
N i g h t b e f o r e t h e C o n c e r t .
T h e C o n c e r t w a s f o r t h e B e n e f i t o f H e a l i n g O u r H e r o e s P r o j e c t .
O n o n e o f t h e S t o r m i e s t N i g h t s i n C e n t r a l Te x a s H i s t o r y
B i o n & A m y Ts a n g P e r f o r m e d
P i a t t i s S e r e n a t a f o r T w o C e l l o s &
V i v a l d i s C o n c e r t o f o r T w o C e l l o s
w i t h t h e C e n t r a l Te x a s M e d i c a l O r c h e s t r a
-
F a m i l y T i m e
f o r A m y
B i o n &
t h e i r
T r i o
S a n F r a n c i s c o
B a y
N a p a Va l l e y V i n e y a r d
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Central Texas Medical Orchestra
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P u b l i c a t i o n D a t e s a r e 1 / 1 5 ; 4 / 1 5 ; 7 / 1 5 & 1 0 / 1 5
M M & P C T P u b l i s h e r
W a l t e r L a i c h : e w l a i c h @ g m a i l . c o m
C T M O S T A F F
Executive Director Walter Laich Music Director
Dr. Robert Radmer
Development Director
Personnel Director
Business Manager Craig Miller Music Librarian
B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S
President Riz Majumder President-Elect
Treasurer Secretary Lana Morris
Medical Relations Director
Wendy Brockett Community Relations Director
Jerry Chapman
Corporate Relations Director
Media Relations Director
Julie Carr
Special Events Director
Libby Bryer Government Relations Director
Liliya Spinazolla
A D V I S O R Y B O A R D
John Aeil l i
Peter Bay
Dr. Robert Freeman
Dr. Clay Johnston
Randy Phil l ips
Dr. Michelle Schumann
Dr. Lisa Wong
Johannes Brinkmann
P E R F O R M A N C E C A P T U R E
B Y
M I K E K O E T T I N G
(5 1 2 ) 9 1 3 - 0 7 9 1
c a p t u r e @ k o e t t i n g s . c o m
-
MM&P. I understand that you have had an exceptionally varied ca-
reer thats taken you to locales throughout the world.
First though, tell us first about your early career. Start with when you
originally decided to become a musician and then when you decided
to focus on being a conductor. Take us through the years to where
you are today in your career.
RR. My father was a musician and music teacher, and he felt that
his three sons would be better prepared for future careers if they
studied the violin. Interestingly, the only field that he made us prom-
ise that we would not pursue was that of music!
Consequently, after beginning violin study at the age of three
(against my better judgment) and ten years of daily questioning
from me about the wisdom of such study, we agreed that I could re-
tire from my music training. At the same time I began my career in
the field of popular music as a singer and guitarist. At 13 this
seemed like a fine idea, and of course it was made simpler because
of the decade of musical experience I already had under my
belt. The ideal at the time was of musicians who wrote their own
songs, and at the age of 25 I entered music school as a composer.
The skills I developed under that discipline evolved into my multi-
track approach to music of performer, teacher, composer and con-
ductor in both popular and classical genres.
D r . R o b e r t R a d m e r
M u s i c D i r e c t o r
C e n t r a l Te x a s M e d i c a l
O r c h e s t r a
43
Dr. Rober t Radmer
In a Familiar Pose
-
MM&P. Tell us something about your touring
career as an musician both in the United States
and in Europe.
RR. Our band toured for several years in the
Upper - Midwest in an ancient bread
truck without a functioning heater, while I imag-
ined that I was a budding singer-songwriter-
guitarist with a fine career and a great future.
We played every imaginable kind of place and
event, and we kept at songwriting and re-
cording, covering the latest hot songs as well as
fine oldies, and sending our creations off to
mysterious addresses in Los Angeles and Holly-
wood who never responded.
After I entered the classical field things contin-
ued - I was part of a violin and viola duo that
toured the US on various states artist rosters,
and I continued to compose for the needs of
that ensemble. We toured Europe several
times, performing in England, Scotland, Hol-
land, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Aus-
tria, and did a three week tour of Southeastern
China.
MM&P. Does any tour or locale stand out in
your memory, and if so what makes it so
memorable?
RR. I have so many memories of performing on
tour that I could bore you for hours - days,
probably. Eastern Wisconsin seemed to be
Paradise, but then I got to Spain and I began to
realize that there might be more to the world. I
really cant single out a particular performance
or tour - the profound cultural variety and intel-
lectual challenges, even within the States but
amplified when traveling across other countries,
is simply indescribable and overwhelming to
consider.
However, let me tell one tale. We were invited
to perform in an 800 year-old church in northern
Italy. It was tiny, seating perhaps 50 people,
made of the plainest stone including the very
low ceiling. The interior was very dimly lit,
seemingly just by candlelight. In this atmos-
phere our 18th century Mozart seemed outlan-
dishly modern, and our newly composed mate-
rial felt as though from another planet alto-
gether.
The small space contained and focused our
sound, giving power to our duet while at the
same time enhancing its chamber-music inti-
macy. The listeners were packed standing
shoulder-to shoulder, and all seemed breath-
lessly entranced, so deeply that it felt that they
were channeling a religious intensity from a
time eight centuries ago. Being part of that
special performance gave us a tremendous,
tremendous thrill.
Dr. Rob performing
with Austin ar tist
Will Dunlap
and friends
-
MM&P. Lets talk about your
founding of the Balcones Commu-
nity Orchestra. How did you come
to found this group 16 years ago;
what where some of the major
growth benchmarks and where
you are today with this group?
RR. In 1999 I was approached by
a group of public school music
teachers and asked to organize a
string orchestra. These folks had
studied their instruments for many
years and achieved a great deal
of proficiency, but their many
hours of daily instruction were de-
voted, of course, to drilling the
fundamentals of technique and
musicianship. Their wish was to
have a group to rehearse and per-
form among a group of like-
minded adults with an absolute
minimum of discussion.
I was happy to help out, and over
the years we added more con-
certs each season (now eight be-
tween September and June) and
included wind instruments gradu-
ally, growing the orchestra in the
same manner as it developed be-
tween about 1700 and 1800. This
time period is still the focus of our
repertoire. Corelli, Bach, Handel,
Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven are
our staples, but we frequently ven-
ture into the 19th and 20th centu-
ries, and each season we present
newly composed works, and even
world premieres.
MM&P. I believe youre also the
Orchestra Director and a profes-
sor at St. Edwards University? Tell
us about the orchestra and the
courses you teach.
RR. The SEU Orchestra is a col-
lege/community group of about 45
players. It is a class, and we sup-
plement the enrolled students with
community players to fill out the
various sections in the orches-
tra. It presents four concerts each
academic year, two of which are
combined with St. Eds choral
groups. In addition, the group
presents two concerts during the
summer, although fewer students
participate. I teach one class
each semester, a survey of music
in Western culture, and I coach
chamber music ensembles and
give private lessons on the vari-
ous string instruments.
D r . R o b e r t R a d m e r
Dr. Rob with Classical Guitarist
Susan McDonald during a Concert with the
Balcones Community Orchestra at an
Event Honoring Texas Music Legend
Freddy Powers
-
MM&P. The St. Edwards position is not your
first experience teaching at a University. Where
else have you taught and what did you learn at
these prior positions that makes you a better
teacher today?
RR. I have been fortunate to teach at several
schools: the University of Southern Missis-
sippi, the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth,
Minnesota, Eastern New Mexico University,
Southwest Texas State University, Texas State
University, and now St. Edwards University. I
have had the experience of working with young
people from many different cultures who are
dedicated to exploring the world, to dreaming
of possibility, and beginning to effect change in
their own lives and in the world around them.
I dont attempt to make them into professional
musicians, but instead I see my role as giving
them the intellectual tools and discipline to set
and achieve appropriate goals, and to help the
student envision and fulfill their own poten-
tial. And, of course, helping them see the
value of growing their musical skills so that
they can enjoy and share the pleasures of mu-
sic-making throughout their lives.
D R . R A D M E R S t e p p i n g
D o w n f r o m t h e
C o n d u c t o r ' s P o d i u m
d u r i n g a C o n c e r t o f
T H E B A L C O N E S
C O M M U N I T Y
O R C H E S T R A
t o P r e s e n t a
V i o l a S o l o
-
MM&P. The past few years a portion of your
summers has been spent as conductor of the
Austin Chamber Music Centers summer or-
chestra. Tell us about this experience and the
people who attend this summer program.
RR. The ACMC hosts a wonderful, intensive
summer program of chamber music coaching
for young people as well as adult amateur mu-
sicians. The value of chamber music, and its
pleasure, revolves around the responsibility
and thrill of being the only person playing a
particular part within the musical whole. The
player has to accurately perform their part in
real time within a framework of constantly
changing parameters of rhythm and pitch,
working through their own physical problems
while being acutely aware of everyone elses
varying solutions to their difficulties.
It is a remarkable example of the human brain
operating on many levels at once, simultane-
ously operating, evaluating, predicting, react-
ing, and (most importantly) enjoying. Conse-
quently, it is a joy to teach, and a rewarding
pleasure to hear. The chamber orchestra is a
similar sort of experience, being less intense
because of the moment-to-moment guidance
of the conductor, but rewarding because of the
more colorful repertoire performed.
The folks who enroll for this experience come
from all walks of life, and share the desire for
improving their skills and enhancing their
chamber music.
Photo and Concert Video Courtesy of Mike Koett ing Performance Capture
Dr. Radmer &
The Central Texas
Medical Orchestra
with guest artist
Francesco Mastromatteo
in a concert to benefit
Ronald McDonald House
-
P h o t o b y
Libby Bryer
MM&P. Share with us your experiences as Mu-
sic Director of the Central Texas Medical Or-
chestra. Have you found being Music Director
of a medical orchestra to be different in any way
from the other groups youve directed?
RR. The Central Texas Medical Orchestra has
been a delight to organize and con-
duct. Getting together with folks al-
ready successful in very demanding fields who
in their free evenings are accomplished musi-
cians playing just for the love of music is a
proven recipe for musical pleasure. It is an
auditioned group, and the level of performance
is very high.
The repertoire format of the CTMO is very un-
usual, and this contributes to the excitement
and musical response of the players in re-
hearsal and in performance. Experiencing a
professional-sounding orchestra, a nationally-
renowned classical soloist and a local Austin
pop artist (or two!) during a mere 75 minutes is
delight not to be found anywhere else, I think.
In addition, the CTMO is the only group that I
conduct that throws a marvelous receptions
Dr. Radmer
Jeffrey Jones-Ragona
& John Aielli
following a radio
interview to talk about
The Central Texas
Medical Orchestra
-
MM&P. Has there ever been a time in your ca-
reer where the medical profession played a sig-
nificant role in your life or the life of someone
close to you?
RR. From the time I was born until I was in my
fifties I suffered terribly from asthma
and other allergies, and I was intimately familiar
with pills, syringes, pharmacies, doctors offices
and emergency rooms. I am proud now to be
professionally associated with those in the
medical field, and honored to be raising funds
to support health-related organizations.
MM&P. I believe you also do some performing
both with classical and rock groups. Share with
us some of your experiences in performing in
these very different musical genres.
RR. I still do keep a hand in the pop music field,
being part of what I like to think of as the
worlds smallest, quietest pop-rock band - just
two guys playing acoustic guitars and singing
without amplification.
Though differences exist between the classical
and pop worlds, I feel that the similarities are
more important - clarity of line, crisp rhythms,
clear meaning, constant energy, conviction of
intent, and confident delivery. Although the
creation of a musical work is serious business,
the word used to describe the activity of per-
forming is Play."
MM&P. Finally, what do the next five years look
like for you in all of your varied roles, as con-
ductor, university professor, artist and teacher?
RR. God willing, simply more of the same, on
higher and higher levels of vision and perform-
ance.
D r . R a d m e r &
T h e C e n t r a l Te x a s M e d i c a l
O r c h e s t r a w i t h
g u e s t a r t i s t
S a r a H i c k m a n
i n a c o n c e r t
t o b e n e f i t
T h e M u l t i p l e
S c l e r o s i s S o c i e t y
-
w w w . c t m o r c h e s t r a . o r g
C e n t r a l T e x a s M e d i c a l O r c h e s t r a
H E L P W A N T E D
D o ct o r s , Nu r s e s ,
A l l i e d H e a l t h P r o f e s s i o n a l s &
P r e - M e d / Me d i c a l S tu d en t s
Wi th M u s i ca l Ta l en t s
-
Te r r i H e n d r i x
M u s i c i a n , S o n g w r i t e r
A u t h o r , &
E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r
O w n Yo u r O w n W o r l d
MM&P. Lets start by talking about your career. You
are involved in a wide range of creative endeavors in
addition to being an onstage performer. Tell us the
path you took to get to where you are today and how
each endeavor from song writer to author fits in with
who you are now.
TH. In 1996 I started my own record label. I received
rejection letters in the mail and put my records out on
my own. Ive never looked back. Ive always loved to
write.
Mark Twin said it best though, Everything about writ-
ing is easy except for the words. Ive always loved
language. I feel I can communicate best when I write.
I have the time to think about what I say. As I ma-
ture, so does my writing. Everything Ive done has led
me to where I am today: Still writing. I enjoy perform-
ing, but theres something about being in the moment
of creativity that keeps me lit up inside. Performing
has outside variables that I have no control over:
Sound, lights, time, entertaining.
When I write, its just me, discipline, and time.
Te r r i
H e n d r i x
52
-
MM&P. I see from your Facebook postings that you travel extensively. Are there any tours or
places that were especially memorable and what
about them are so special to you?
TH. New Mexico is always memorable. the way
the rain hits the sage and makes the air smell like
perfume. They way the sun sets and paints the sky
a multitude of colors. The history of the land. The
way the terrain looks against the sky. Adobe walls
and still floors. It just appeals to me. but, Ive writ-
ten most of my songs in low-scale hotel rooms in
rural areas off Texas backroads.
MM&P. You perform a great deal with Lloyd
Maines. How did this partnership come about and
how has it evolved over the years?
TH. Lloyd heard a demo tape of mine. It was given
to him by Bobby Arnold at the famed Firestation
Studio in San Marcos, Texas. Lloyd heard the tape
and became interested in my music. It was 1997.
We recorded Wilory Farm in 1998. My career was
taking off on a grassroots level. I had released a
record independently called, Two Dollar Shoes. It
had sold well.
Lloyd came on board as a business partner with
the release of Wilory Farm. In lieu of management,
agents, and labels, weve surfed the ins and outs
of the industry on our own terms. Its been hard,
but weve made it. Him and his wife are family to
me. I am very lucky. Hes in the Austin City Limits
Hall of Fame for a reason. Hes simply one of the
best living musicians in the world. And there would
be very few who would argue with that fact. So
me? Having a chance to work with someone his
caliber for this many years? I am very very lucky.
Te r r i H e n d r i x &
L l o y d M a i n e s
Photo by Kathleen
Hil l
-
Te r r i H e n d r i x
C o n t d .
MM&P. I understand that youre the Founder and Executive Di-
rector of the nonprofit organization Own Your Own Universe.
Tell us first what OYOU does and follow up by telling us how you
came to develop this group and what your goals for the future are
for OYOU.
TH. The OYOU stands for "Own Your Own Universe." It's a lyric
taken from a song of mine called "Wallet." It's my belief that all
things are possible with a sense of purpose, a work ethic, and a
mission greater than ourselves.
My mission with the OYOU is to bring music, painting, pottery,
dance, and nature, to those who would otherwise be unable to
participate and enjoy the arts.
The Own Your Own Universe (OYOU) will be a fully functioning
sustainable arts center in Hays County. That's the goal and that
will be the reality.
Imagine a venue where people with physical disabilities enjoy
music, arts, crafts, and shows alongside everyone else; without
the worry of social or mobility issues within the facility. Imagine a
venue where anyone regardless of income can attend work-
shops or learn a musical instrument.
Imagine placing an instrument into the hands of an underprivi-
leged or at risk child.
Imagine an all ages arts center with a creative space for group
discussion to enhance physical and mental health.
Sing. Dance. Write, Act. Create. Learn. Can you see it? That's
the OYOU. The future home for the "Own Your Own Universe"
arts center will be in Hays County, Texas.
Te r r i H e n d r i x a t
H o m e i n t h e
Te x a s H i l l
C o u n t r y
i n H e r
S i g n a t u r e
O v e r a l l s
-
MM&P. Being a musician can be challenging.
Is there any time in your career that was more
challenging than others? What did you do to
make this either a learning experience or turn
it into a success?
TH. Booking has been the most trying on my
nerves. I needed an agent when I was 19. By
the time an agent came on board, I was 28.
Most agents want to work with you when they
can make money off of you. By the time the
agent came on board, I didnt really need one.
I thought it would save me time having one.
They took a percentage off of my existing in-
come. They brought nothing new to the table. I
think differently about my career than most
musicians and it takes a different perspective
to understand it.
One thing for sure, the Star of David ap-
proach to lining up dates on my tour calendar
does not appeal to me. It never has and it
never will. Travel is very expensive and as a
businesswoman, it has to all make sense. This
is not a hobby, its my lifeblood. And I aint
paying a percentage to anyone unless they
earn their keep.
Ive learned from my mistakes in judgment, but
continue to have this aspect of my career
causing a thorn in my side. Success is often
being able to delegate tasks. However, if I
delegate a task, it needs to get done correctly.
If i get back contracts and everything is wrong
on them, then why have help in the first
place?
MM&P. Following up on that question about
challenges. Is there a time when the medical
community played a significant role in your
life?
TH. I was diagnosed with Epilepsy in 1989. I
kept it hidden from my colleagues until 2003. I
swam in the Blue Cross Blue Shield High Risk
Pool until the costs pulled me under. Ive been
under medicated, over medicated, and all
roads in between. I eventually found a team of
doctors through HAAM and the Seaton Health
System.
With diet, rest, and the proper medication, I got
my life back. I got my career back even
though it took a hit with cancellations and en-
suing questions as to whether Id be able to
play a show or not.
Te r r i H e n d r i x &
L l o y d M a i n e s
i n P e r f o r m a n c e
a t T h e F i s c h e r
H o u s e C a n t i n a
-
Te r r i H e n d r i x
C o n t d .
MM&P. Lets change gears and have you tells us about the album
or any special project your currently working on.
TH. Im working in the studio on several projects at once. Its an-
other juggling act, but its just how the creative process is these
days. I have a little home studio, so I dont rack up studio time. Im
wring new songs and immersing myself in both piano and harmon-
ica. Ive always wanted to learn to play the piano. Its never to late
to learn an instrument to here I am. Twinkle, twinkle, little star!
Its slow going, but its going.
MM&P. Finally, tell us about what the next five years look like for
you in both as an Artist and Director of OYOU.
TH. Ill be 47 in February 2015. Ill be bringing my new projects
out in 2015. I feel I have 2015 and part of 2016 to tour as the
OYOU builds momentum. In order for the arts center project to
take hold, Im going to have to draw in my tour calendar. Im al-
ways going to perform as long as I can maintain my health in
doing so. However, Im going to begin to curtail my travel so that
my time can be invested in the OYOU. I need to build it while I can
and while I have an active support system thats excited about it.
By the time I turn 51, the OYOU will be an inspiring tourist destina-
tion in Central Texas. Oh, and Ill be able to play everything on the
piano from Cole Porter to Supertramp.
Right: Cover of Terris First Book Cry Till You Laugh, The Part
that Aint Art.
-
Terri Hendrix & Lloyd Maines Rehearsing with The Central Texas Medical Orchestra
at First Baptist Church the Night before their 9/22/14 Performance
to Benefit Peoples Community Clinic
-
Av a i l a b l e a t A m a z o n . c o m
-
42
P h i l a n t h r o p y i n
A u s t i n
S t . D a v i d s C h u r c h
MM&P. St. Davids Church is certainly a beautiful
landmark in downtown Austin. Would you share with
us the history of St. Davids from the early years to
where you are right now covering an entire city block
- including the parking garage?
St. Davids has a long and rich history in Austin. St.
Davids was formed when Christ Church Austin
(founded in 1847) merged with Church of the Epiph-
any (founded in 1851). On April 4, 1853, the corner-
stone of our current building (which was Church of
the Epiphany at the time) was laid at Bois dArc (7th
St.) and San Jacinto across the street from the two-
story mansion where President Lamar had lived. The
first service in the new church was held on October 8,
1854.
Over the years, additions and changes to the building
were made. In 1966 the new parish hall was com-
pleted adjacent to the Church and was named
Sumners Hall to honor the rector, Charles Sumners,
who remained steadfast in his determination to keep
the church in the heart of Austin.
The church dramatically expanded its physical pres-
ence in downtown Austin, completing St. Davids
Parking Garage in 1988 and a major addition to the
church, completed in 2001. The four-story addition
provided much-needed office space, classrooms, day
school space, choir and musicians facilities, meeting
rooms, and a large and dramatic new worship space,
which was named Bethell Hall in honor of the rector,
Jim Bethell.
F a t h e r
D a v i d B o y d
R e c t o r
S t . D a v i d s
C h u r c h 60
-
St. Davids
Historic Downtown
Austin Church
MM&P. In addition to your traditional church services, St. Davids
is also well known for your social services programs including feed-
ing and clothing the homeless and hungry in our community. Could
you elaborate on these and other programs that most Austinites
are probably not aware of? Also, please talk about your partner-
ships with Austin social service nonprofits.
SD. St. Davids Episcopal Church has been in the heart of down-
town Austin for more than 150 years. In addition to offering daily
worship services, we are a gathering spot for all those in the down-
town community, including our homeless neighbors through Trinity
Center and as a school for children 18-months old thru Kindergar-
ten.
St. Davids is a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. Our
affiliations and partnerships are vast and wide. Locally we are affili-
ated with and/or have partnerships with the following: Downtown
Austin Alliance, Rotary Club of Austin, Next-to-New, Warm Heart
International, AISD, and Downtown Cluster of Congregations and
Social Service Agencies. Our certifications and accreditations in-
clude: being a GreenFaith (environmentally certified) Church, a
certified National Wildlife Habitat, and NAEYC (National Associa-
tion for the Education of Young Children) of our Day School.
St, Davids Church
About 1925
St. Davids Church
Today
-
MM&P. St. Davids opens its door to community groups from the Rotary
to local artists. Tell us something about St. Davids community outreach?
At the heart of St. Davids mission is the commitment to serve the least
among us. Thats reflected in our eternal connection with Trinity Center,
which serves the downtown homeless, in the annual grants that the Next-
to-New Shop awards to local non-profits and in our support of our broth-
ers and sisters in Malawi .
In addition, we organize community outreach projects for members of our
parish to participate in. Currently, those ongoing opportunities include:
Foundation Communities Brunch: Volunteers help cook and serve
brunch to people transitioning out of homelessness.
Bedtime Story Brigade: Volunteers take milk and cookies, crafts
and bedtime stories to the Salvation Army Family Shelter.
El Buen Samaritano Food Pantry: Volunteers help stock the food
pantry at this local Episcopal mission.
Laundry Love: Volunteers turn a mundane task into an evening of
joy and generosity when they bring quarters, soap, snacks and crafts
to a local Laundromat.
S t . D a v i d s
L a u n d r y L o v e P r o g r a m
-
42
S t . D a v i d s C h u r c h
MM&P. I believe St. Davids has a strong relationship
with St. Davids Hospital and St. Davids Foundation.
Tell us how this came about and what your relationship
with these great Austin institutions is at the current
time.
In the fall of 1924, St. Davids church purchased the
Physicians and Surgeons Hospital at 17th Street and
Rio Grande from the Hospital Aid Society. The facility
was chartered and renamed St. Davids Hospital.
Women from St. Davids Church stitched pillowcases
and sheets for the hospital. Daughters of the King vis-
ited the sick.
The hospital was moved to its present site at 919 East
32nd street. In the beginning, the church had a manag-
ing role. In the present day, the board of St. Davids
Hospital has a permanent role for the rector of St.
Davids Church.
MM&P. If you have anything Ive left out please feel
free to add.
The Grants Committee for Community Outreach
(GCCO) of St. Davids Episcopal Church annually se-
lects and awards local non-profit with grants. Grant
funds come from proceeds of the Next-to-New Shop, a
consignment, resale, and antique store that also serves
as an outreach ministry of St. Davids. St. Davids Epis-
copal Church has a long history of helping people in
need in the Austin community, and that tradition contin-
ues with the awarding of the 2014 outreach grants.
S t . D a v i d s
H i s t o r i c S a n c t u a r y
I n P r e p a r a t i o n f o r
E a s t e r S e r v i c e
http://www.next2new.org/
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42
S t . D a v i d s
B e t h e l l H a l l
H o m e t o C h u r c h
P r o g r a m s
& C o m m u n i t y
C o n c e r t s
-
42
St. Davids Church
An Integral Par t of
Austins
Downtown
Community
Children from St. Davids
Church help with the Easter
Egg Hunt for the kids at The
Salvation Armys Shelter
-
Congratulations to the Peoples Community Clinic and Thanks! To
St. Davids Foundation for stepping up to meet a critical need in
our Austin Community!
Members of St. Davids Foundations Board of Directors
Hold Up a $10 Million Check that will help Fund
The Peoples Community Clinics New Facilities in Northeast Austin
Earl Maxwell
CEO, St. Davids
Foundation
-
SAGE LEE, cellist, is 13 years old and at-
tends LASA as a 9th grader. Sage has stud-
ied cello under Dr. Francesco Mastromatteo
and Mr. Douglas Harvey, and is currently
studying under Mr. Jun Seo. She has been an
active member of CMFW and school orches-
tras. She enjoys arranging and composing
music.
CHET FAGERSTROM, violinist, is a 9th
grader and has been playing violin for 8
years. He is currently studying under Megan
Canney. He plays with the AYO Symphony
and in several ensembles as both a violinist
and a violist.
NICK HAMMEL, violinist, is a 9th grader at
LASA. He has been playing violin for 6 years
and is studying under Dr. Robert Radmer. In
addition to the 2x2 String Quartet, Nick plays
with his school orchestra, CMFW's Chamber
Orchestra, and the St. Ed's Community
Orchestra in the summer.
T H A N K S !
To T h e
N e w t o n i a n S t r i n g s
For Giving of Their Time and
Very Special Talents at each of
our Concerts
R A D M E R M U S I C S T U D I O
D R . R O B E R T R A D M E R
Private Lessons on
V IOLIN & V IOLA
Beginner to Pre-Professional
Special sessions on The Art of Conducting
Any Age - Lapsed" Adults a Specialty
Expand the M ind o f You o r You r Ch i ld
r radmer@mac.com
-
To n y M o r r i s
P r o d u c e r / H o s t
C l a s s i c a l G u i t a r
A l i v e
MM&P. Youve taken a different career
path in classical music than any other
guitarist. Tell me how Classical Guitar
Alive came about?
Yes, my career/life in music has taken
some unusual and unpredictable twists
and turns, that's for sure! Classical
Guitar Alive is the name of the radio
program I have produced since 1993,
and it is also the name of the nonprofit
organization I founded in 2003 to fund
the radio pro
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