Arts Commission

Minutes of the Meeting MCA Music Subcommittee April 13, 2022 5:00 p.m. Room 208 Present: Barbara Arafeh, Domenique Thornton, Anne-Marie McEwen, Julie Faraci, Trevor Davis 1. Call to Order – 5:05 p.m. 2. Public Session – no one present 3. Approval of Minutes from 11-9-21 meeting.  Motion made by McEwen and seconded by Faraci. Passes unanimously 4. Remarks from the Chair This is the 50th Anniversary year of the MCA and the Music subcommittee should promote ideas to advance music. The chair called upon the committee to use this meeting to discuss ideas for the celebration. 5. Old Business The Chair remarked that the Music Ambassador reception was very well attended with much publicity in the Chronicle and on social media. All the members of the music subcommittee agreed that the event at City Hall was well done and a big success to promote music in Middletown. 6. New Business a. The development of music at Middletown Public School is not known at the moment due to the many staff changes at MPS. The Chair suggested that someone who is currently in charge of the Music Program be invited to attend the Music subcommittee and speak about the development of music in our public schools and what the music subcommittee can do to assist. The current coordinator of the music department, Farah Scala, was identified and will be invited to the next music subcommittee meeting to speak. b. Commissions 50th Anniversary, music records and participation –The committee discussed ideas regarding how they can promote music in Middletown for the 50th Anniversary activities concluding that a music competition of original music performed by students to encourage young musicians was a promising idea. The subcommittee members also discussed activities that could be performed on “Make Music Day” on or near June 21. c. Summer music in Middletown. The Chair also discussed the possibility of focusing on a different genre of music on different days or days of the week to be determined. Members discussed the Summer Sounds schedule and the 4th of July entertainment. 7. Announcements – Trevor Davis announced that he had been contacted by the Mayor to promote a Blues Band on July 3, Rain Date July 4 at the riverfront. Next Music subcommittee meeting to be held May 17, 2022. 8. Adjournment – meeting adjourned at 6:07 p.m. Respectfully submitted by, Domenique Thornton Secretary MCA