http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug The latest news from “the Big Cheese” - Executive Director Bau Graves. Thu, 14 May 2009 00:42:41 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en 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/ January 20, 2009. Welcome to the new era. Today’s extraordinary events mark a paradigm shift that few of us could have believed possible. Many of us are still shaking our heads in disbelief. But if the world is turning, it is surely turning in a direction that feels ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2009/01/20/this-is-our-time/ It’s a new year and Old Town School teachers are on the move. Through a pair of generous grants from the MacArthur Foundation and the Illinois Arts Council, the School is participating in a series of international exchange programs in 2009. Our ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2009/01/07/got-on-our-travelin-shoes/ One week ago, I sent an appeal to the Old Town School Community. It's the end of the year, I said, and the School is facing financial challenges. When times are tough, who can we turn to, if not each other? If everybody who enjoys classes and ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2008/12/15/give-a-little-get-a-lot/ The chilly winds that have been blowing through banks and brokerage houses are shaking the windows and rattling the walls at Old Town School. But so far the bright glow of community that warms these halls is keeping the financial blizzard outside. In other words – we’re suffering ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2008/11/17/hard-times/ Plans for Old Town School’s new facility are continuing to evolve in interesting directions. The proposed building will feature a flex-use concert/dance hall, three spacious dance studios, and fourteen acoustically isolated music classrooms. It will incorporate environmentally-friendly “green” technology throughout, and will be wired to take advantage of ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2008/10/14/what-is-a-murphy-diffuser/ Folk culture has never caught much of a break from the institutions that fund the arts in America. Last year, the grand total of all the grants awarded to folk and traditional arts amounted to 7/10 of 1% of the budget of the National Endowment for the Arts – ... http://oldtownschool.org/connect/blaug/2008/09/22/water-the-roots/