Muse-ic Forum Conversations: A Collective Learning Circle
A small group, open forum opportunity facilitated through 2 Batons to meet community musician needs and desires and to help them on their journey.
Muse:
verb: to think about something carefully and for a long time
noun: a person, or an imaginary being or force that gives someone ideas and helps them to write, paint, or make music
noun: in ancient Greek and Roman stories, one of the nine goddesses who were believed to give encouragement in different areas of literature, art, and music
(Cambridge Dictionary)
Image credit Richard Hedrick @fortuitousfotoAbout the Muse-ic Forum Conversations (MFC)
We opened (and re-opened, as this forum format has a bit of a history)* the Muse-ic Forum Conversations through 2 Batons. This is one of our community endeavors to reach a part of the music community that we are finding does not receive as much support as some other areas of our community do. This is the adult community of musicians who are all out there practicing, freelancing, working on passion and career projects, studying, playing for fun, or playing for work and gigging!
We invite current music professionals to join in with their valuable contributions to the field, as well as a blend of growing and emerging (and later-emerging) adult musicians of all kinds (especially, but not only, in the classical field—we can all learn from each other!) who are not necessarily within a ‘music home’ or community and are seeking a place of belonging or of further inspiration and a place to share their work.
This particular component is a free community with 2 Batons, based on free-thought exchange and fellowship: Musicians as Muses. While this is not an entirely new or unique concept, it is rare, especially today, and can also be rare in our field, save for professional development conferences and clinics or classroom discussions.
Ad-hoc format with a small, intimate group (Limited to 8-10 attendees, not counting 2 Batons Directors or Guests). Participants can attend both virtual and in-person options if they’d like! The key is to make sure you reserve your slot!
Scheduled occasionally throughout the year for virtual and in-person options in the Tri-State Area: Southeastern PA, MD (and D. C.), and DE venues. Virtual is open world-wide. Venues will typically be local cafes, wine lounges, etc throughout the region, held on different dates of venue and 2 Batons’s professional schedule availability. We anticipate around 3-6 events per year, minimum.
This is a free community opportunity held by 2 Batons, hoping to reach a part of the community that is underserved in opportunities for regular meetings in such manners that would typically be reserved for professional development conferences and workshops.
Check our Events page to view upcoming events and opportunities such as the MFC!
Image credit Bob Jenkin @bobj245MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SESSIONS
It can be fun, exciting, and exhilarating to participate: to form bonds and connections in the field, share what we’re working on, to make us think and build on our foundations, propelling us to new heights and knowledge, and to feel more confident in what we are doing. We hope you will join these opportunities when you can! These conversation circles are a place to talk about our activities as musicians and confer with and listen to others about what kind of work they are doing, have done, or want to do in the future. It’s a great source of spark for inspiration!
More Details on MFC Experiences
HISTORY
*The history of this group began around 2014 in Omaha, Nebraska (where 2 Batons Director JoAnna was based at the time, for a few years), as the Fellowship for Muse-ic Education (FME). The local group met in-person several times, as a mix of music educators, performers, therapist, and so on, to discuss and exchange current trends, bring creative ideas and activities to share with each other that were successful, to seek opinions and help with struggles, and to generally share ideas with each other in the music field.
Each event had some specific topics to center around, but was also open to discussion, live and ever-changing with each unique personnel and experiences of the day. Topics ranged from performance to education, and from history, psychology, and philosophy, to famous (and not-so-famous) musicians and pedagogues. The benefit were everyone’s unique assets and contributions to bring to the group as a whole, allowing for synergy to also do its magical work.
This thought-exchange format is not new—in fact, it’s been around for ages. Examples include the Florentine Camerata, and the older Greek agoras and Roman forums. In ancient Roman and Greek stories, a Muse is one of the nine goddesses who were believed to give encouragement in different areas of literature, art, and music. For example, from Britannica:
Calliope: Muse of heroic or epic poetry (often holding a writing tablet)
Clio: Muse of history (often holding a scroll)
Erato: Muse of lyric and love poetry (often playing a lyre)
Euterpe: Muse of music or flutes (often playing flutes)
Melpomene: Muse of tragedy (often holding a tragic mask)
Polymnia: Muse of sacred poetry or of the mimic art (often shown with a pensive look)
Terpsichore: Muse of dancing and choral song (often shown dancing and holding a lyre)
Thalia: Muse of comedy (often holding a comic mask)
Urania: Muse of astronomy (often holding a globe)
Other similarly formatted groups of their own right were and are the Native American Talking Circle, African and Māori circles, and even 👒feminist circles and societies for connection and support, also stemming from the French circles of women as ‘creative incubators.’
Round tables are frequently used in different vocations, cultures, and societies. Music is all of these, and should be no exception. ♫♫♫
Are you a MUSE?
About the Venues & Logistics
Our Muse-ic Forum Conversations (MFC) will be held in an ad-hoc format, from some virtual to some in-person events in various locations in the communities respective of our location near the Tri-State area of PA, MD (& D. C.), & DE throughout the year (with potential for other locations pending travel schedules of 2 Batons).
They will be facilitated by 2 Batons, and to respect everyone’s time, will be held for between 45-90 minutes maximum. And you are free to attend and come and go as you like—although we hope you will arrive early and on time and stay for the entire session(s) when you are able to participate. Come with ideas and activities to share from your part of the musical world, or come ready to listen and engage when you’re ready!
Sessions will be smart-casual—professional, friendly, and comfortable. Bring your best, relaxed self, but be ready that you also might be making future or deeper connections! We will limit each event to 8-10 people, not including 2 Batons members, so there is a bit more intimate and valuable experience for everyone attending.
Image Credit Mihai Moisa @moisamihai092