Music creates harmony through difficult times, closing gaps in equity and opportunity
The Texas Music Office recently declared Dallas a music-friendly community. This certification means the city is serious about attracting and developing the local music industry in order to fuel job creation and economic growth. In 2019, the music scene created 210,000 jobs nationwide and generated $ 27.3 billion in economic activity.
We saw the importance of music, especially during a global pandemic. Music speaks directly to our humanity, and the emotions we feel when the sounds touch our ears have been felt for centuries. Creativity is art, and the rising chords of a melody inspire and influence our community. Music conveys essential skills such as discipline, perseverance, team building and communication. It provides a creative outlet to reduce stress and anxiety, and helps us reach some of the most vulnerable communities.
Fabio Luisi, pictured above, conducts the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, was appointed music director in June 2018.(Sylvia Elzafon)
The efforts of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra during the COVID-19 shutdown reflected its dedication to music. While many performing arts organizations were forced to switch to pure virtual performances, the DSO presented a full season of 150 concerts on the main stage and more than 300 chamber music and outdoor community events. Live audiences were greeted at the Meyerson Symphony Center with innovative protocols for the safety and comfort of the audience and musicians.
Not only did the DSO make sure that live performances were as normal and safe as possible, but they also brought music to its most vulnerable communities. State-of-the-art studio and robotic cameras were installed in the Meyerson to record DSO performances and events and stream them live. This innovation made it possible for patients in many large hospital systems in D-FW to enjoy concerts and other musical performances at home. Technology has driven much of this transformation of services in ways that can outlast the immediate effects of the pandemic. By July 2021, over 100,000 visitors from around the world had seen DSO performances.
The DSO attracts innovation, creativity and top talent from which the people and families living here benefit. If we don’t entertain thousands of customers every year, we are building the next generation of musicians and music lovers. Through numerous educational programs, we not only teach our young people how to perform, but develop their understanding of art so that they become versatile citizens.
The support of the business world helps us find creative ways to expand access to art. We need to take conscious action to keep our communities alive. When we have an ecosystem of companies and community partners working together, we all win. The DSO’s partnership with Capital One is a model of how businesses can partner with arts organizations to create a tremendous impact for artists and communities.
By supporting programs such as Young Strings and Young Musicians, and offering workshops on financial wellbeing, we have influenced students across the Metroplex, including South Dallas, who would otherwise not have access to music classes. Similarly, Full STEAM Ahead, an initiative promoting arts education and equal opportunities for girls in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts and math, has multiplied the impact of DSO in the community. Not only do we create new orchestral musicians, but also future patrons, board members, community leaders, and dreamers.
The DSO is best when we are together – listening together, performing together and working in partnership with our business community. For example, DSO and Capital One presented a special joint concert with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra to benefit the MET Orchestra Musicians Fund and the Dallas-Fort Worth Musicians COVID-19 Relief Fund.
One thing is clear: the collaboration between business and art will build us up and give us a strong and sustainable future. The orchestra is the soul of a city, and when cities have great orchestras it builds the cultural soul and spirit of a community. Today we inspire, enrich and change life in a community that we value. The healing power of art – that is music to our ears.
Sanjiv Yajnik, Kim Noltemy and Fabio Luisi will love music forever. Sanjiv Yajnik, President, Financial Services, Capital One, was elected chairman of the Board of Governors of the Dallas Symphony Association in 2017. Under Yajnik’s four-year tenure, which ended in October, Noltemy joined the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in January 2018 as CEO, Luisi was appointed music director in June 2018. Luisi conducted the special joint concert with the DSO and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in spring 2021 and even contributed his own money to the MET Orchestra Musicians Fund and the Dallas-Fort Worth Musicians COVID-19 Relief Fund.
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