Betsy Bevan was getting over a breakup in 1990, when she decided to attend a workshop by Music for People (MfP) co-founder David Darling at Upstate New York’s Omega Institute. “When I called, there was …
Sound Bites: A Q&A with Violist, Composer Leanne Darling
Musician Leanne Darling will sacrifice almost anything for her craft. In 2001, she walked away from a relatively cushy job as assistant principal viola of the Sarasota Orchestra (formerly the Florida West Coast Symphony) to …
Sound Bites: A Q&A with Flutist Clint Goss
In 2003, Clint Goss attended his first Music for People (MfP) concert. About midway through the show, he turned to his wife, Vera Shanov, and whispered, “I want to do that.” No sooner had the …
Sound Bites: A Q&A with Music Educator Tim Simmons
Tim Simmons believes music comes from the musician, not the instrument. “There’s a song in everyone,” says the affable multi-instrumentalist, who teaches music in grades 1-12 at Delaware Valley Friends School near Philadelphia. “As a …
Sound Bites: A Q&A with Performer, Teaching Artist Thomasina Levy
Thomasina Levy insists that music is in everyone—and everything. “We all have drums in the classroom. They’re called ‘desks,’” says the acclaimed performer and teaching artist with a whiff of understatement. “We have so many …
Sound Bites: A Q&A with Trombonist, Singer, DJ Alexander Merz
At David Darling’s recent Celebration of Life, Alexander Merz invited everyone to join him in a daily toning ritual. The exercise, he explained, fosters a sense of community among Music for People (MfP), whose members …
Sound Bites: A Q&A with Music Educator, Entrepreneur Jan Magray
After retiring as a hospital chaplain in 2009, Jan Magray responded to a chance opportunity to bring music to children via an afterschool program in St. Petersburg’s underserved Midtown neighborhood. From her first visit to …
Sound Bites: A Q&A with Therapeutic Teaching Artist Steven Hosking
More than a decade ago, Steven Hosking was just another struggling actor in New York, chasing down a dream. Only his dream turned into a nightmare when chronic anxiety and fear took hold of him, …
Sound Bites: A Q&A with MfP Board Member Alison Weiner
Leave it to Alison Weiner, a self-described “improvising musician,” to debunk any misconceptions about “free improvisation.” In fact, the North Carolina-based pianist avoids using the term altogether, claiming it to be misleading. “‘Free improvisation’ suggests …
Sound Bites: A Q&A with Canadian Singer-Songwriter Jane Lewis
With her trademark curls and gutsy stage presence, Jane Lewis is often compared to the legendary hitmaker Carole King. “I take it as a compliment,” says the Canadian singer-songwriter, whose own material exudes a certain …