http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug The latest news from “the Big Cheese” - Executive Director Bau Graves. Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:25:53 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The morning following Haiti’s earthquake, well before any of us was fully aware of the dimensions of the tragedy, veteran Old Town School teacher Steve Levitt proposed organizing “something to help those folks.” It happened in a routine bi-weekly staff meeting. We discussed parking issues and recycling, and ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2010/02/17/a-community-in-need-a-community-indeed/ Let us pause in the holiday rush and recall with gratitude the life and work of Bess Lomax Hawes, who passed away the day after Thanksgiving at age 88. Singer, educator, folklorist, organizer, Bess was the founding director of the NEA’s Traditional Arts Program, created the National Heritage Fellowships ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2009/11/30/thanksgiving-and-bess-lomax-hawes/ Back in May, I was privileged to represent Old Town School at a meeting at the White House concerning artists and the national recovery. It was an unprecedented event, at which a group of community cultural activists were invited to offer our insights into the importance of the arts ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2009/11/05/a-new-framework-for-the-arts/ Old Town School may be an institution that is unique to Chicago, but these days its connections to a world of music and dance are getting a lot of exercise. For years, the School has brought in an amazing array of talented performers from all over the world for ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2009/09/26/got-on-our-travelin-shoes-2/ It’s been a couple of tough weeks for students of American folk traditions. On August 1, Sandy Paton, founder of Folk Legacy Records, died at his home in Connecticut. On August 1, Sandy Ives, the dean of Downeast folklore passed away at his home in Maine. And ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2009/08/12/the-modern-traditionalists/ On July 13, Governor Quinn signed into law the 2009 Illinois Capital Bill. This measure funds significant capital and infrastructure initiatives throughout the state, and the Governor was explicit in stating his hope that it will provide substantial economic stimulus at a time when it is badly needed. ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2009/07/24/state-grant-a-major-step-for-the-school-%e2%80%93-and-the-local-economy/ Yesterday, an extraordinary meeting that would have been unthinkable just a few months ago took place in Washington. I was privileged to be among a group of sixty arts leaders from around the country who were invited to participate in a White House briefing about “Art, Community, Social Justice ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2009/05/13/mister-graves-goes-to-washington/ The New York Times reported this week (March 29, 2009) that an Austrian company is marketing clinically-tested medical prescriptions that consist of… music. That’s right, they’ve conducted extensive controlled experiments that have shown particular musical patterns to be effective treatments for psychosomatic diseases, pain management, anxiety, depression, insomnia and ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2009/04/01/good-for-you/ In the midst of the great recession of 2009, Old Town School of Folk Music is setting records for class registration. During hard times, people find solace and support in their extended community. Old Town School provides a social context that allows communities to express themselves – playing ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2009/03/13/all-time-high/ Congress is poised to pass the latest gigantic economic stimulus plan, and the Treasury has announced an even larger new bailout plan for the banking industry. The House version of the stimulus legislation included a very modest allocation for the arts -- $50 million for the NEA, amounting to ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2009/02/12/economic-stimulus/