Taking the Stage
Both of my kids graduated this month, making for a fitting introduction to an edition devoted to music, theater, art, and creativity.
It was a milestone month for our family, with both of our kids having degrees conferred. Xander graduated summa cum laude from Boston Conservatory at Berklee with a Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance. Meanwhile, Elizabeth completed her Master of Music Education degree at Nazareth University, receiving the Excellence in Music Education Award and being inducted into the Theta Lambda Chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda in recognition of her 4.0 GPA. We’re incredibly proud of all the hard work, dedication, and musicianship that brought them both to this moment!
And with that music as the segue, the remainder of this edition is filled with fun updates from the world of the arts:
Music Man
After graduation, Xander embarked on the national tour of The Music Man playing flute and piccolo (Reed I). If you’re following me from New England, the tour makes some local-ish stops before heading to Texas to conclude the tour:
York, PA – June 9
Elmira, NY – June 10-11 (we’re going on the 11th!)
Scranton, PA – June 12-14
8th Amendment and Friends in Concert
Sunday, June 14th, I’ll be on stage with 8th Amendment — a community octet directed by Stan Stewart — for a free concert in Trumansburg. I’ve loved preparing this music with the group; they’re a wonderfully fun bunch of locals.
The program has real range (including a few gems that I promise will stick with you on the drive home) and some guest stars beyond the octet. No ticket needed — just show up at 3 p.m. and let eight voices do their thing.
Sunday, June 14 at 3 p.m. / 69 E. Main Street, Trumansburg, NY
Save the Date: I’m Playing Thomas Jefferson
This summer, I’ll be stepping into some pretty consequential shoes. Encore Players Community Theatre is producing a concert version of 1776 — the award-winning musical following members of the Continental Congress in the tense days leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence — and I’ll be playing Thomas Jefferson himself.
Performances are Friday evening, July 3rd and Saturday afternoon, July 4th right here in Trumansburg. (Yes, a Fourth of July weekend showing of 1776. Hard to imagine a better fit.)
Times and tickets are coming soon at encoreplayers.org — keep an eye there and I’ll share details as they’re announced.
Gallery Night: Side Quest
You know how I’ve been hanging around with the ToCo Design Rally group? Well, we’re having a gallery showing! I chose to exhibit my #365DayDraw project. It’s a timely return, ten years after creating the art, and it’s fascinating to see how the world has changed since sparking each of those drawings.
Here’s how I am describing my exhibit to visitors:
Every day in 2016, without exception, Scott Dawson picked up a pen and drew something — a cupcake, a gravestone, a ballot box, a UFO meditating — and wrote a caption that was rarely what you’d expect. The result is 366 small windows into a year that had a lot going on: a political season that couldn’t have had higher steaks, a Brexit requiring an orderly trip to the emergency exit, and a December 19th longing for peach mint ice cream that had nothing to do with ice cream. Playful absurdism lives here, but so does its complement — quiet sincerity — and the two take turns without warning. Dive in anywhere.
More broadly, the show promises an avalanche of inspiration from local artists:
What do graphic designers create when they’re off the clock? Turns out, quite a bit. We cover a range of ages, disciplines, experience, and agendas. Everyone has their own side quest, no two are alike. Without client briefs, brand guidelines, or rigid grid systems to hold them back, these works offer a rare glimpse into the unfiltered imagination. From the meticulously detailed to the gloriously abstract, this exhibition is a visual playground where the only rule is that there are no rules. Our collection pulls back the curtain on the creative process, revealing the passion projects that keep our artistic batteries charged. Whether it’s a return to analog roots with ink and clay, or a futuristic digital exploration, these pieces represent the pure joy of making things—not for a paycheck, but for the soul.
See the show at gallery night on Friday June 5 from 5-8 pm (or anytime in June) at Ithaca’s CAP ArtSpace at 110 N. Tioga Street (on the Commons).
Hours: Mon 10 to 5 / Tues noon to 5 / Wed to Sat, 10 to 6 (closed Sunday)
A Tip for the Modern Worker
Speak well. You’ll have many opportunities to speak to others, virtually and in-person, during your career. If you’re uncomfortable with public speaking (and let’s face it, if you’re not in front of a mirror by yourself, it’s public speaking) take a course or two to get more comfortable. Speak more slowly and deliberately than you think you should. Enunciate. Vary your tone and cadence (no monotone delivery). Make eye contact. Move around if you can. But most importantly, have fun with it!
This tip is one of 365 in my Handbook for the Modern Worker. That followed my first book, The Art of Working Remotely, about my experience working from home since 1998. Depending on where you work and which way the wind is blowing, these may be banned books or fan fiction. I hope it’s the latter.
Mail Bag: If you work remotely and have come across an issue that needs solving, a thorn that needs removing, or just an observation you’d like to share, hit reply. I’d love to hear from you.
Congrats on all of it!