Jane Addams: One Nobel Prize, One House, One...Cello?

I met Dr. Michael Hill in 2024 after he commissioned a couple of arrangements from me, and I was so happy when he asked me to return with more this year. He is a very prominent scholar on Jane Addams, a powerful social reformer, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and cofounder of Chicago's legendary Hull House. Due to his vast knowledge of Jane Addams, he was asked to curate an exhibition at St. Joseph, Michigan's Krasl Art Center. He got in touch with me and asked me to play, and if I would provide custom arrangements for the occasion. Specifically, he presented me with the sheet music to the Hull House Songs, composed by Eleanor Smith to words by various lyricists.

It's always an interesting challenge when one is tasked with coercing multiple lines into the constraints that a solo cello allows, but I enjoyed the process a great deal. We ended up with a program starting with a couple of Bach Minuets, four of the five Hull House Songs, and my arrangement of Stravinsky's Elegy (originally a solo viola piece) that he commissioned the previous year.

I got to check out the exhibition before playing, and I learned a lot, both about history, and the art that sprang from it. And after the recital came another art-related surprise...I was presented with a memento to bring home with me: a print of Chicagoland artist Vera Berdich's Symphonic Metamorphosis, originally created in 1969 for a commission from the Ravinia Festival...real Chicago connections right here! I was floored by this generous gift, and it will occupy a prominent place on my studio wall. I am deeply grateful for it, and everything else from this experience. See if you can spot the bass and bows:

Interdisciplinary projects are some of my favorites, and I was looking forward to this all summer. The Krasl Art Center has a lovely performance space with a really satisfying acoustic, and the people there couldn't have been nicer or more welcoming, so I hope to return soon. In the meantime, though, let me know if you're an artist who wants to do something together...I'm always down for great collaborations.

Cover photo credit: Krasl Art Center