Music can break down barriers, whether they're
emotional or physical. It
just needs to be
heard.
Since 2004, Peabody's Creative Access has brought the
world of music to
audiences in the
Baltimore area that otherwise might not be exposed to it.
Each year, roughly 200
Peabody student
instrumentalists and vocalists perform more than 150 free
concerts in venues
such as the Maryland
School for the Blind, Ronald McDonald House, Veterans
Hospital and many other
nonprofit
organizations aimed at providing healing, care and
education to those in need.
The students perform a variety of musical styles, from
Mozart chamber music
to "If I Had a
Hammer," and engage audiences with stories about the
artists and works.
Matt Carvin formed the group in 2003, his first year
at Peabody. Carvin,
who was pursuing a
master's degree in guitar performance, felt that Peabody
should have a musical
outreach program and
organized a group of students to play concerts at several
nearby charities.
"I have always felt that the role of an artist is more
than simply as a
skilled performer but as
an advocate and educator as well," said Carvin, the group's
director.
The initial concerts were a huge success, and the
Creative Access was born.
The nonprofit
student group currently partners with more than 75 local
organizations.
The outreach initiative is made up of both graduate
and undergraduate
students, talented
soloists and ensemble musicians, at the Peabody
Conservatory. Its mission is to
provide quality music
and engaging fellowship to its target audiences, in an
attempt to better their
lives and that of their
community.
A typical concert will feature three or four Peabody
students who perform a
45-minute show
followed by a talk.
Carvin said that the performances can be therapeutic
and enriching for the
audiences, and
beneficial for the students, too.
"It gets us to communicate more," he said.
"Increasingly, there's been an
emphasis to train
musicians to talk more about their music and engage with
the audience, and
communities. We're not
giving [the audience] instructions. Rather we'll talk about
the composer, and
then they'll ask questions
about the music."
He estimates that nearly 30 percent of the Peabody
students have
participated in the Creative
Access at some point, with a current core group of 70
students who perform
monthly.
One person who has heard the group in action is Jim
Hillman, manager of
resource development
for Gallagher Services, an agency that works with people
with developmental
disabilities. "Music is the
universal language and it transcends all levels of
ability," he said. "We'll
have 20 to 40 folks come out
for one of the evening concerts that the Peabody students
perform. Everyone is
rapt and attentive,
and very engaged. We usually get together for one big
sing-along at the end of
the performance. It's a
good time."
Carvin said that the group is always looking for
volunteers and that
musicians of all styles and
skill levels are welcome. To volunteer or for more
information, go to
www.thecreativeaccess.com.