Copyright berkshireeagle
To the editor: Massachusetts should lead the nation when it comes to museum music — period. Our museums are as plentiful and important as anywhere. Musical talent is through the roof here, both homegrown and drawn by our educational and cultural institutions. And, as Matt Martinez reports, Mass MoCA is showing us the way. ("Mass MoCA Records is about to drop its first album. The debut artists crossed the Atlantic to record it," Oct. 17.) With traditional cultural funding models under threat from Washington, a cottage industry can be built around museum music in Massachusetts with few new resources required — provided institutions work together cooperatively, entrepreneurially and quickly. College radio and college museums can easily curate new music together. Massachusetts’ storied music press and music blogs can follow The Berkshire Eagle’s lead and report on museum music throughout the Commonwealth. Or, lacking regional leadership, individual museums here can seek know-how or collaboration from the record company operated by the Smithsonian, or from Mass MoCA itself. Both listening to music and creating it have been found to have positive benefits on wellness. The same is true for visiting museums. Massachusetts knows how to build economy around the arts, health and education. Creating good economy in museum music simply requires our cultural leaders be comfortable getting “your chocolate in my peanut butter.” Paul M. Piwko, Boston The writer is a co-developer of the National Museum of Mental Health Project Inc. and a lecturer at Questrom School of Business, Boston University.
