A few weeks ago, we heard about something called The Rhythm Road, a partnership between Jazz at Lincoln Center and the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs that aspires, in their words, to “share America's unique contribution to the world of music and to promote cross-cultural understanding and exchange among nations worldwide."
And with applications for the 2011-12 season due at the end of this week, we decided to speak with the State Department's Marjorie Ames about what these life-changing tours really entail.
As we mentioned in an earlier piece, the Rhythm Road began as an effort to spread awareness of jazz as an art form. But today, the program has expanded to include many other types of uniquely American musics: hip hop, blues, zydeco, and bluegrass, to name just a few. “We wanted to be a little more inclusive in terms of artistic diversity and certainly geographic diversity," Ames explains. “The Rhythm Road is an expression of the artistic richness of our nation and its diversity."
It also calls for a very unique kind of band. “It's not for everybody, certainly," Ames says. In describing what each application needs, she rattles off a long list: “You have a history of professional achievement in your craft, you have to show that you are terrific performers, that you are gifted educators, that you have an interest in engaging with people, and—this is probably hard to demonstrate—but I think people that are interested in applying for the program all have interest in sharing something about their art with others, and in the exchange aspect of this.
“It's not just a one way communication. There's a lot of receiving that happens on these tours."
Part of this reception happens via osmosis, and out of necessity. Rhythm Road tours are far from typical. According to Ames, the shows, which comprise only a small part of the musicians' daily responsibilities, “can be in somebody's backyard, they can be performing at an orphanage, they can be performing in a concert hall, or in a warehouse space that somebody has cleared out to try to get in as many people as possible.
“You really do go from a media interview to a master class to a workshop at a school to your sound check to the performance to perhaps doing another media interview after the performance, and the next day you get up and do it all over again," Ames says. “It's a very intense experience, and it's intense personally in a sense that you are always on, on on."
It's also not a get rich quick scheme. Though travel, lodging, logistical expenses (read: vaccinations) and per diems are taken care of, and a modest honorarium is given to all participants, being on the road often amounts to being an investment. “People are enriched by the program, but their bank accounts might not be," Ames laughs.
But, she continues, “what they have said, though, is that on balance it is so tremendously valuable in terms of their music, in terms of being able to get to know and interact with people outside the United States in a very personal and meaningful way, it's just really unforgettable."
If that sounds like something you'd be interested in, you've still got a few days left to apply!
And with applications for the 2011-12 season due at the end of this week, we decided to speak with the State Department's Marjorie Ames about what these life-changing tours really entail.
As we mentioned in an earlier piece, the Rhythm Road began as an effort to spread awareness of jazz as an art form. But today, the program has expanded to include many other types of uniquely American musics: hip hop, blues, zydeco, and bluegrass, to name just a few. “We wanted to be a little more inclusive in terms of artistic diversity and certainly geographic diversity," Ames explains. “The Rhythm Road is an expression of the artistic richness of our nation and its diversity."
It also calls for a very unique kind of band. “It's not for everybody, certainly," Ames says. In describing what each application needs, she rattles off a long list: “You have a history of professional achievement in your craft, you have to show that you are terrific performers, that you are gifted educators, that you have an interest in engaging with people, and—this is probably hard to demonstrate—but I think people that are interested in applying for the program all have interest in sharing something about their art with others, and in the exchange aspect of this.
“It's not just a one way communication. There's a lot of receiving that happens on these tours."
Part of this reception happens via osmosis, and out of necessity. Rhythm Road tours are far from typical. According to Ames, the shows, which comprise only a small part of the musicians' daily responsibilities, “can be in somebody's backyard, they can be performing at an orphanage, they can be performing in a concert hall, or in a warehouse space that somebody has cleared out to try to get in as many people as possible.
“You really do go from a media interview to a master class to a workshop at a school to your sound check to the performance to perhaps doing another media interview after the performance, and the next day you get up and do it all over again," Ames says. “It's a very intense experience, and it's intense personally in a sense that you are always on, on on."
It's also not a get rich quick scheme. Though travel, lodging, logistical expenses (read: vaccinations) and per diems are taken care of, and a modest honorarium is given to all participants, being on the road often amounts to being an investment. “People are enriched by the program, but their bank accounts might not be," Ames laughs.
But, she continues, “what they have said, though, is that on balance it is so tremendously valuable in terms of their music, in terms of being able to get to know and interact with people outside the United States in a very personal and meaningful way, it's just really unforgettable."
If that sounds like something you'd be interested in, you've still got a few days left to apply!
