By The TimesLedger
Musica Reginae Productions is dedicated to the belief that the people of Queens deserve to have first-rate classical and contemporary music available to them in their home communities and that they need not travel into Manhattan to find the best, most enriching experiences.
The founders of MRP believe that Queens is capable of supporting more performances of classical music; that music can serve as an important bridge in an ethnically diverse community by acknowledging various heritages; and that a lack of abundant, locally available, classical music deprives our school children of important educational advantages.
Musica Reginae exists to produce quality performances that engage, educate and entertain the citizens of Queens and draw them into an appreciation of the other cultural organizations in our borough. Our ultimate aim is to develop an audience that will access and support more of the artistic resources available in Queens and thereby improve the social cohesiveness and quality of life in our community.
PROGRAMS
Musica Reginae Productions carries out its mission with three focused programs: Community Entrée, Cultural Partnership, and Kids ën Music.
Community Entrée
Community Entrée, the fundamental program of MRP, has the basic objective of bringing quality musical performances to the residents of Queens in order to develop the local audience both in numbers and in sophistication. The events within Community Entrée are:
Accolade series events feature performances of classical and/or popular music that either introduces outstanding young artists and excellent established artists or exceptional works written either by well known or lesser-known composers to MRP audiences. Presented in conjunction with insightful commentary, Accolade performances are designed to increase audience appreciation of the artistry of the performers and of the composition.
Discovery concert events offer distinctive musical performances featuring unique themes, origins or instruments. Selections may feature common ethnic bases or utilize familiar instruments in uncommon ways to employ uncommon instruments or collections of instruments, or they may simply have a unique purpose. Presented in conjunction with insightful commentary, discovery events are intended to broaden the horizons of the audience or honor specific situations.
Meadowlark events are easy listening programs intended to generate a sizeable audience that can be brought along to a higher level of appreciation for classical music. They also are intended to provide opportunities for school-age children to attend with parents and develop an appreciation for quality music.
Cultural Partnership
Musica Reginae is dedicated to broadening its audience, conserving scarce arts resources and enriching the audience’s cultural experience by working in tandem with other cultural organizations of Queens. Collaborations with the Queens Museum of Art, Flushing Town Hall, Queensborough Community College and the Department of Parks and Recreation have already brought Musica Reginae Productions to new venues and new audiences. Based on the success of these cooperative efforts, further programs are already in the planning stage with these and other organizations in Queens.
Kids ën Music
Music education in the schools has been severely curtailed for decades and has only recently been brought back in part in some selected districts. Working in collaboration with schools, Kids ën Music is an educational outreach program designed to draw students into an exploration of serious music leading to improvements in scholarship and a life long interest in music.
HISTORY AND CURRENT SEASON
Musica Reginae Productions was incorporated on February 2, 2000 and received its classification as a 501(c)(3) organization for tax purposes later that year. Musica Reginae’s inaugural project came at the behest of the Park Administrator for Forest Park, Queens who requested an event to open the renovated George Seuffert Sr. Bandshell in June 2000. Musica Reginae presented a Meadowlark “Evening of Opera” concert featuring soloists from New York City Opera as well as emerging artists supported by a full orchestra. The concert was well received by an audience of nearly 700. This was MRP’s only public event for in its first fiscal year – a period largely devoted to organizational recruiting and fund-raising efforts.
In the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2001, Musica Reginae produced three events, a Cultural Partnership performance: Reflections of the Tiffany Era (in cooperation with the Queens Museum of Art) and an Accolade concert series: Piano and Friends and The Virtuoso Piano performed at Flushing Town Hall. These programs were well received and have generated positive reactions within the arts establishments in Queens.
Looking forward to this year, MRP will produce four events, a Cultural Partnership performance: Viva Verdi! (in cooperation with Queensborough Community College), and an Accolade concert series: The Art of Song, a new Piano and Friends and The Art of the Transcription, all to be performed at Flushing Town Hall.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
Musica Reginae intends to inaugurate the first pilot of Kids ën Music this year. It is expected that programs begun in previous years will be continued and expanded so that the full range of Musica Reginae performances will be available to the community. This ambitious plan is largely contingent on attracting sufficient financial backing from a variety of public, corporate and private sources.
In addition to sound financial planning to underpin the musical offerings, name recognition is an important element in attracting both audiences and philanthropic support. Musica Reginae intends to build on its initial public relations program to obtain high visibility in the press and in the community.
