The programming for Making Books Sing is for children ages 2 – 13, so admittedly cultivation events for board members and supporters need to go beyond our usual events.
This week Joyce and Don Healy welcomed us into their lovely home on Jane Street for an evening of wine and music. The atmosphere was welcoming and lovely. Their four story West Village home seemed to usher in the holidays for the guests who came.
The 20 of us were treated to a private piano performance from Weiyin Chen. Weiyin is an accomplished concert pianist who has played in large concert halls all over the world. We had the opportunity to sit five to ten feet away and take in every nuance of her performance. She played for about 30 minutes- Shubert, Schumann, and Chopin – many in attendance were transported.
After she performed we all chatted for a while riding the wave of musical inspiration and uplift. That feeling, of being moved by art and the resulting intellectual and emotional stirring it creates is the reason we all work so hard at Making Books Sing. That is the feeling we want the children to have and to cultivate for the rest of their lives. The arts are here to enrich our lives, help us grow and learn more about ourselves and the world.
It was not just a joyous night but also helpful and necessary to have board members, staff and other supporters around for a night to share in that experience and be reminded why we do what we do.
