I rarely use this column to discuss specific performance programming at the Kennedy Center. But I feel compelled to write about the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy that begins today.
We live in a time when the arts are threatened from every direction, when arts education is relegated to an extra for only a few, privileged children, when the economic environment forces reductions in programming and access, when much of the press has given up on covering the arts at all and when naïve cries of elitism threaten the work of those thousands of arts organizations bringing inspiration, education, entertainment and role models to our least advantaged citizens. And we live at a time when our political leaders seem frightened to do any more than give bland verbal support for the arts.
How refreshing it is to think back to an era when we had a First Family who truly relished the arts at their highest level of accomplishment. The Kennedys brought the great Spanish cellist Pablo Casals to the White House for a chamber music recital that made front page news. They invited Grace Bumbry, the spectacular African American opera singer, to perform there as well.
The Kennedys produced a series of performances "For Young People By Young People" that gave young performers a chance to shine and young audiences the inspiration to try the arts themselves.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis made friends with those in the world of music, painting, dance and theater. Poets, writers and great thinkers were courted and feted. Her friendships with great Americans like Leonard Bernstein and Robert Frost are well chronicled, and her involvement with American Ballet Theatre is legendary. Her children carried on this great tradition of involvement and support for the arts. Caroline Kennedy is, to this day, the Honorary Chairman of ABT.
Inclusivity was key, but so were standards of excellence and elegance. When the nation watched these performances unfold at the White House -- and they did -- they knew they were seeing something special. They also came to believe that the White House was a special place, and that political leaders must also be leaders of thought. We aspired to the finest things in life, not simply the most expensive.
Presidents before and since have been arts supporters. Jimmy Carter was the first sitting President to attend the Metropolitan Opera, and President Obama has hosted several arts events at the White House.
But no president, apart from President Kennedy, cited accomplishment in the arts as one of the highest aspirations of a nation.
President Kennedy said, "I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we too, will be remembered not for our victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit."
We need more of this eloquence, passion, thoughtfulness and wisdom. We need it now more than ever.
(Bunch of other programs could go there too. Want spending cuts? Adjust spending to what people give to D.C. instead of keeping. What's good for General Motors is good for the country.)
As a teacher of those arts (starting young instrumentalists), I can testify that learning another symbol and sound system increases reading scores, and some math scores by significant amounts. What music in particular does to brain development should be done for all children. Then think about what it can do for any oral presentation in the modulation of the voice making the presentation. Next consider the shapes in the visual arts and consider what that can do for understanding processes in our technologies. From there move to the "movement arts" and think about how the understanding and demonstration of processes will improve. Consider as well the large AND small motor skills which will be improved/developed through those movements. And for the last kicker, thin about how all of the above can create movement which will cause the body to access more oxygen to deliver to all parts of the body, but in particular the brain. And then begin to understand that the arts are not just another form of "recess."
Doesn't mean that art is not important.
It's just means that those who lie-to-steal and are called "top patrons of the arts,"
should back off and let more folks feed their stomachs,
then more folks would be available to appreciate the arts.
Just because someone can afford a Bentley doesn't mean
that same person can drive anywhere they wish at 100mph.
The National Collection of Fine Arts (now the National Museum of American Art) had an exhibition of their collection while they were in the Vice President's house.
The exhibition was titled, "Art From the Vice President's House" because the Mondales were, I guess a bit embarrassed to have their name on the exhibition of their collection.