The Richard Wagner Society of the Upper Midwest conceived the Music in Action program in June, 2020. The program had two phases, described below.
The objective of the 2020-21 Music in Action program was “to provide financial support for local musicians while addressing the greater need for hope, healing, and community exposed by the killing of George Floyd.” The program provided musicians with the funds needed to create pre-recorded vocal performances.
Performances were premiered online with video hosting provided by RWSUM. You can view these premiere and talkback sessions on the RWSUM YouTube channel.
Our first performance, featuring mezzo-soprano Victoria Vargas and pianist Eric McEnany, premiered March 12, 2021. Victoria is a local mezzo-soprano and a frequent performer with the Minnesota Opera. She identifies as Hispanic, female, and queer. Victoria's recital featured female, LGBTQIA+ and Hispanic composers including Ricky Ian Gordon, Paola Prestini, Kristian S. Rodriguez, and Kala Pierson. These selections express various aspects of Victoria's individuality, as well as her connections to other members of these communities. In addition to premiering the recital via RWSUM's Music in Action program, Victoria gifted her recital to OutFront Minnesota to benefit fundraising efforts for their youth group.
Our second performance, featuring baritone Mark Billy, soprano Alexandra Razskazoff, and pianist Lara Bolton, premiered May 14, 2021. Mark is a Twin Cities-based baritone. He, too, has often performed with the Minnesota Opera. Mark identifies as a Native person of color (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. According to Mark, "Operatic plots are prevalent with the brutality of anger and unaddressed mental health crises, which are mirrored in our current news and events." He used his grant funds to create a recital of "pieces of music of true (and largely untold) stories of the brutality against Native and LGBTQ+ people." His selections will include a variety of appropriate opera arias and Choctaw hymns which depict hope and healing.
By the following measures, Music in Action was a great success:
While the immediate shock of the George Floyd tragedy had subsided, we still lived in turbulent times and emerging artists still needed our support. We updated the Music in Action program objectives accordingly:
Three grantees were selected in late 2021. Their performances were originally planned for 2022, but were delayed to 2023 due primarily to the untimely passing of Michael Ruppert, RWSUM President and Music in Action Program Coordinator.
The grantees and their performances are:
Recordings of all performances can be viewed on our YouTube channel.
Renate Sharp and Don Notvik, Music in Action Founding Sponsors, In Honor of Dr. David Cline
Meg & Steve Blake
Dr. David Cline
Jim Richardson & Dorothy Horns
Michael J Ruppert, in Honor of Jim Richardson
Jerry Swenson
Betty Andrews
Anonymous, in Honor of Dr. David Cline
Anonymous, in Honor of Hans Hotter
Anonymous, in Honor of Michael Ruppert
James Ashe
Mark Campbell
Brad Clark
Vicky Cook
Tim Counts
Jeremy Geaga
Marylee Guerrero
Rick Johnson
David Mayo
Michelle Ruppert
Laura Turner
Hilan Warshaw
Kevin Winge, in Honor of Michael Ruppert
P. Hauoli’ipo Wright
Plus Four Additional Anonymous Donors