Concord Conservatory of MusicConcord Conservatory of Music
Join us for Music & Folklore, the opening event of the CCM 2023 -2024 Concert & Lecture Series, a collaboration between the Concord Museum and the Concord Conservatory of Music. This program explores the oral folk traditions of different cultures through music and stories.
Listen to musical tales that show how diverse societies share common themes and values, and celebrate the diversity and richness of our cultural heritage.
The chamber music concert will feature CCM faculty artists soprano Rose Hegele, violinist Angel Valchinov, and pianist Yoko Hagino, with guest speaker Frank Korom, Professor of Religion and Anthropology at Boston University and Associate of Folklore and Mythology at Harvard College. Enjoy how this music captures the spirit and the magic of the narratives, connecting us with our shared roots.
The 2023-2024 Concert & Lecture Series is made possible in part by our Lead Sponsor, Emerson Health.
September Listening Project Playlist
Active listening is a skill that enhances your musical understanding and performance. 
When you listen actively, you focus on the music and nothing else. You can improve your pitch, rhythm, harmony, creativity, and appreciation of music by doing this. Passive listening is when you have music on in the background while doing something else. It does not help you as much as active listening. It’s all about exposing yourself to a wide variety of music and learning to be an active listener.
To become a better active listener, try SEPTEMBER’S CCM LISTENING PROJECT, curated by CCM faculty member Stephen Marotto. He has selected some small chamber pieces by important composers from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries for you to learn from and enjoy! You can also use the CCM Listening Journal to guide your listening with some stimulating questions. This can help you start meaningful conversations with your family, friends, or music teacher!
The Listening Project is
CCM is a nonprofit organization that relies on the generosity of supporters like Senkler Pasley & Dowcett, to bring high-quality music education to all who want to participate.
What do Fidelity, Raytheon, and State Street have in common?
They have matching gift programs.
Won’t you please consider giving the gift of music today?
Are you a CCM friend yet?
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Emma Gies, Violin Instructor
“I do my best to keep myself inspired—always committed to learning. I listen closely and connect with my students to learn what lights them up, and then we do more of that! I cultivate a trusting relationship with all my students so that music-making stems from a place of relaxation and connection. I bring in music that inspires me, and ask that my students do the same.”
Betsy Hinkle, Violin Instructor
“Music is innate in all of us, and it is my job to tap into each students’ inner musician while providing the tools to produce the sounds ever-present in our hearts and minds.”
Sora Lee, Early Childhood and Piano Instructor
“When introducing someone to what I do, I describe myself using the verb ‘I make music’. Additionally, ‘I make music’ is a sentence I want the students in my class to embrace. ‘Make music’ encompasses more than just the act of creating music; it also encompasses the relationships and dreams that students will cultivate in the future. In my class, both my students and I have dreams, foster good relationships, and share love.”
Long Okada, Voila & Violin Instructor, West Side String Program
“I still remember a moment when I was 5 years old, sitting next to my mother on the black leather piano bench and listening to her playing one of Mozart’s piano sonatas in the music room at my parents’ house. That was how my love for music began!”
The Rodriguez family has a strong musical background. Both Masami and Walter Rodriguez studied at Boston’s New England Conservatory—Walter studied classical guitar while Masami studied violin performance and music education. Their sons Oliver and Elliott also love music and were drawn to the piano when they visited CCM for an open house event. They met their teacher Kitty Cheung-Evans there and have been taking lessons with her ever since. 
As Masami recalls, “When we moved to Acton, we saw a poster for an event at CCM for kids to come in and meet the instruments and teachers over popsicles. It was perfect timing as I had taught Oliver everything I knew about piano and was looking for a teacher to take him further. We’re so lucky to have met Kitty Cheung-Evans at this event, and since then, we’ve looked forward to seeing her every week for lessons! She was such an amazing teacher that as soon as Elliott was ready, he also started studying with Kitty.”
We asked them some questions about their musical journey.
Is there a particular activity at CCM you believe contributed to their musical growth?
We love the many opportunities for the students to perform during the year and the way that the performances are programmed so you can see where students start as well as how beautifully they can play by the time they graduate from high school. The families and kids are always supportive of each other as they understand the bravery it takes to perform and the hard work that goes into preparing a performance. We also love the opportunity to take theory classes as part of the private lesson program.
How do you keep your kids motivated to practice and participate?
From an early age, we built practicing into the schedule, and it’s part of the daily routine. As the kids get older and involved in more activities, it gets harder to organize their schedules, but at the same time, they don’t need as much help practicing, so they can do some of it on their own. They truly enjoy music and playing piano and violin – it would be hard to maintain everyday practice if they did not love it.
Oliver and Elliott are both enthusiastic and diligent students of the CCM Music Achievement Program (MAP). They participate in various activities, such as recitals, theory classes, and practice challenges, to improve their musical skills. Masami says, “We want them to be fluent in playing and reading music so that they can play anything that they want to!”
Both boys have different aspirations: Elliott admires Lizst and hopes to master more of his pieces, especially the Hungarian Rhapsody no.2. Oliver is eager to explore more genres of music.
They are on their way to achieving their goals with their passion and dedication for music!
A free, all-ages grassroots community music festival! Enjoy the music and all that West Concord has 
to offer.
Saturday, September 23, 2023, 1:00 -5:00 pm (rain date: Sunday September 24)
More than four dozen live acts in your neighbors’ yards, within walking distance of West Concord Village.
