Spring Appeal 2020

Dear friends,

I hope this letter finds each of you well and in good spirits.

In this time of uncertainty, social distancing, and isolation, our shared need for a sense of community and connection has come into sharp focus. At NSP, we are guided by the belief that music can open pathways for people to connect in meaningful and nourishing ways – the ways that help communities engage with complex challenges.

The pandemic has created unprecedented complexity for our community. In this context, NSP has postponed many much-anticipated spring events and quickly pivoted to supporting our students, audiences, and musicians in new ways.

• For our students: Our students have been able continue their learning and crucially, maintain connections with their teachers through weekly online lessons, digital portfolios and discussion-based group classes. Last week’s Doorstep Duos saw students performing for family members on their porches and in their gardens, accompanied by their teachers on the sidewalk.

• For our audiences: To stay connected with our audiences we launched Virtual Mixtape 2020, which will continue to provide online interactions with our audience members throughout the summer. This initiative has opened up a beautifully rich dialog with our audiences. More online concerts and performances will be shared with our audiences in the coming months.

• For our musicians: Our Board of Directors instituted a Resident Musician Emergency Fund in order to offer additional compensation to the members of our team who have seen much of their freelance income disappear. As we experiment with new digital formats, we are excited to explore the opportunities that these tools provide. However, this moment pushes us to examine our role more fundamentally: to examine how this musical residency can be a resource for Newport—all of Newport—in its journey into a new chapter. We believe that organizations like NSP will have an important role to play in the landscape that is unfolding. The need for connection, beauty and healing will be deeply felt. We are determined to respond thoughtfully, to continue making music and creating spaces for expression and artistry. Now more than ever, we appreciate your generosity. Thank you for your continued support during these very difficult times. To make a donation, please click HERE.

On behalf of our entire team—staff and board members—we can’t wait to share live music with you in better times ahead.

With warm wishes for your safety and wellbeing,

Ealain McMullin Co-Founder & Director