Benevolent Media Festival for Digital Capital Week

The Benevolent Media Festival is a celebration of storytelling and design for good that takes place during Digital Capital Week in November. Tonight, they kick off a pre-festival fundraiser at Dickson Wine Bar from 6-8pm and have a kick-off celebration scheduled at The Dunes on November 4.

This first-of-its-kind, all-volunteer initiative focuses on people, organizations and projects that compel audiences to care about a cause, take action on an issue, or promote a point of view through strategic and inspiring multimedia. “Benevolent Media Creators” are invited to host and organize their own lectures, workshops, performances, networking events or other activities, located at multiple venues across the city.

For more information about the fest, read this overview. And here are other ways to get involved:

• Browse the agenda.
  
• Explore a map of events.
• Become a contributor (bloggers, photographers and videographers wanted!)
• Follow us Twitter.
  
• Be a fan on Facebook.
• Sign up for the mailing list.
• Donate
  

DC Scores Seeks Music Specialists

Kelly Miller Middle school winners with their "My Life is Free"

In 2009, I had the pleasure of working with students from Kelly Miller Middle School in DC, helping them craft poetry into songs. They performed and competed in a regional competition against other middle-schoolers, and the kids I taught won first place! The experience was great, only an hour two days a week and an opportunity to bring arts to some of the area's most at-risk youth. I recommend it for anyone who is a songwriter, musician and committed to uplifting our kids. Here is the call for artists below. Apply to the email address below. Peace, Moon

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DC SCORES builds teams through after-school programs for over 800 DC youth at 27 schools by instilling self-expression, physical fitness, and a sense of community.  For people who believe in a well-rounded childhood, DC SCORES is the quality, team-based approach providing youth with the arts, athletics, and academics that will engage, enrich, and improve their lives. DC SCORES accomplishes this in an innovative model combining poetry and spoken word, soccer, and service-learning year-round. We have worked with over 6,000 students since our founding in 1994 and we aim to serve EVERY child in the District deserving of a team who does not have one. DC SCORES is an affiliate of America SCORES, with organizations in 14 cities.

This season our young people have been led by their writing coaches (teachers) through a curriculum filled with poetry and song writing lessons.  As a music specialist you will be assisting them as they turn their writing into three group performance pieces to be performed at our city-wide Poetry Slam! November 30^th and December 1^st.   

Responsibilities & Duties

• Lead eight- 60 minute sessions with middle school students.
• Collaborate with DC SCORES staff and coaches to implement the program and supervise students.
• Plan and conduct song writing workshops with students using their songs/poems already written to create three polished performance pieces.
• Provide opportunities for each student to demonstrate work and have a part/voice in the performance.
• Bring or create the music for the performance pieces.
• Collaborate with DC SCORES coaches to prepare students to perform their music at the Poetry Slam!.

·      Provide DC SCORES with a verbal/written summary of each session, a copy of students work, and a copy of the music on a CD.

·      Provide DC SCORES with a background check and TB test prior to October 13^th.

Dates of Employment:

October 18th – November 18^th, 2011

Location(s)/Days/Times (choose one): 

All sessions are from 3:45 – 4:45pm

• Cesar Chavez PCS-Parkside Campus – Tuesdays and Thursdays
• Lincoln Middle School – Mondays and Wednesdays
• Johnson Middle School – Mondays and Wednesdays
• Kelly Miller Middle School – Tuesdays and Thursdays
• MacFarland middle School – Mondays and Wednesdays
• Oyster-Adams Bilingual School – Mondays and Wednesdays

Compensation: The Music Specialist will be paid $50 per session and an additional $100 for the performance of the three students’ songs. 

If you are interested in applying or learning more contact Katrina Hochstetler, Program Director, at khochstetler@americascores.org. 

On Liberated Muse This Week of October 10

Our Community Poem is Another Winner

Our third community poem didn't have more than two participants this time round, but, it was destined to be a poem of sweet and short brilliance that there is no complaint here. Regular contributors Chenyelu Bomani and Jimmy DiLorenzo created this poem I named "Complete Beauty":

Almond shaped eyes
kissed,
by shades of amber glazed sunsets.
A realization that she is not the voice in her head,
but, rather,
the one who recognizes the voice,
quiets her mind.
The setting sun warms her face
and a feeling of completness engulfs her very being.

Our Community Bloggers Have New Posts Up!

Our Liberated Muse members are an assortment of creatives and bloggers who have an array of new topics to discuss in this week's posts:

Alan King posted "Review of Rachel Eliza Griffith's 'Mule and Pear'"
Chenyelu Bomani "Gem Stones"

New Photos in the Gallery

Liberated Muse member DC's Own Entertainment Company uploaded photos from the recent event "The Revival". Visit their page to see the photos and to read a review of this ground-breaking event. Be sure to also view other photos members have posted in the gallery and add your own!



Meet Our Member of the Month: Nathan Seven Scott

Our October Member of the Month  is a motivational speaker, life coach and new author. Visit our main page to read more about our member of the month, Nathan Seven Scott and learn how you can order his new book that was released on Oct. 7.


We Are Looking For Sponsors for Our "In Her Words" Series

Contact us at LiberatedMuseProductions@gmail.com to learn more about the series and how you can become a sponsor.

Is It a Dumb Thing Choosing An Artist's Life?

While many are protesting across the country in spin-offs of the #occupywallstreet movement in New York, one artist, JD Samson, shares her personal story of what not having money during these times means to her and in a poignant "coming out" essay, she admits that she is done with trying to keep up with her peers while times are tight.

Check out her story here on Huffington Post and leave a comment letting us know if if you dig what she's saying here in our forum.

400th Post: Performance Opportunity for Singers & Actresses for 2012 Black History Month Event

Liberated Muse is partnering with the DC Public Library system for a series of events intended to educate and entertain. Artists selected to perform will be included in media promoting the events. Here is a call for singers & actresses for the first upcoming event:



In Her Words Series
The In Her Words Series will kick off on Sat., Feb. 4 and will be a 2-hour multi-disciplinary performance showcasing the art and lives of Billie Holiday, Zora Neale Hurston, Lena Horne, Nina Simone, and Lucille Clifton.

Seeking actresses & singers to portray the great women listed above. Also seeking an actor (male or female) to serve as the narrator/guide during the performance. The narrator/guide is a large acting/speaking role.

Auditions will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2011. Email your interest and headshot by October 16th to liberatedmuseproductions@gmail.com for an audition time and to learn of the audition location. Auditions begin at 2pm.

If you are interested in co-sponsoring or helping to produce this event, email us as well.

A Groupie Retelling: The Last Leg of the Sade US Tour

This past Monday, I traveled to Norfolk, VA to witness her majesty Sade in concert for the last performance of her US tour. As you should know, Sade blesses with a concert every decade or so, so seeing her live is a rare treat that anyone who has the opportunity tries to do as quickly as possibly. My spouse got tickets on Groupon and, despite the four hour drive to Norfolk, we were on an amped high as we anticipated her approaching concert.

For starters, the concert started on time.

John Legend Didn't Suck

In this day and age, that is saying A LOT. John Legend, the opening act, came on stage when he was supposed to and opened with an Adele tune (forgot the name, sorry) and an energetic band. While I'm not privy to Legend's song catalog as I am of the legendary Sade, I danced along with everyone else to Legend's closing numbers which included "Cloud 9" and "Green Light". I was hoping he would perform the song he sang on Sergio Mendes' classic CD Timeless, but, alas, no go.

I will say that Legend sounds great live and is quite a cutie. While his stage show wasn't as expertly or excitedly executed as Sade's (no lighting show or clothes change or dramatic entrance or transitions), he held his own and brought quite a lot of passion to the stage.

When Legend exited, the crowd was thoroughly energized and awaiting Queen Sade.

Her Highness Set the Bar

How Sade took center stage was epic; we were not disappointed. She came onstage in a belted black number with her bad-ass band and held us in awe. The entrance was noteworthy. Rising from below on three platforms, the band appeared as if from nowhere and as they emerged from below, a beam of light shone from below, and up walked Sade. The large screen that showcased the stage was operated by first-class videographers who captured the action on stage as if producing a music video. I won't be surprised if the entire tour is packaged and sold because the stage shots were flawless. The entire light show, stage set and transitions were award-worthy.

The Sade concert illustrated why we are so in awe of the band Sade and its lead singer. First, she exudes a type of class that is found NO WHERE else in the music scene today. Her cool, laid-back and elegant aura is magnetic and aside from her unique voice, you are drawn to her royal demeanor. Matching her style is her band, with their ruggedly clean and masculine musical support. The entire concert set was executed in a way to convey this aura of elegance-- from the red drapes and gossamer back screen, to the basic black lighting penetrated by simple white strobe. The  set decor matched with perfection the theme and energy of each song.

And, speaking of songs, the order and song choice was impeccable. While I am a Sade fan who has been following her since the late 80's, some of her new music hasn't become part of my groupie playlist just yet. While I've reviewed her music that came out last year, my heart has not attached so readily to the recent songs as they have with old classics like "Smooth Operator", "Kiss of Life" and basically every song pre-Soldier of Love album. What she did during her concert, was play a classic every other song or twice before inserting a new song from the new album, keeping us old-head fans content and always on the age of our seat screaming singing along in groupie fandom.

 All Endings Are Not the Same

The concert ended in a way that I had never experienced before. Maybe it was because it was the last US date or perhaps its her way, I'm not sure. But, it was endearing and only made my spouse and I feel more siced that we had made the concert. When she introduced her band, there was no music and the band members all walked from behind their instruments. She introduced them one by one, recalling a personal memory of how she met them and why they are special to her. After introducing them all, she wrapped her arms around them and said, "this is us."

Of course, we got the obligatory encore performance out of her, but at that point, we were already thrilled with what we had experienced. Sade is a consummate performer, an exemplary professional and very worthy of her legendary status of one of the greatest artists during our lifetime. I will gladly wait another ten years to see her again, but, if this, in fact her last tour to ever happen, I am grateful to have witnessed it as I did.

All hail the Queen!