Chatting With Author/ Performance Artist Tracey Barnes Priestley

www.thesecondhalfonline.com

Tracey Barnes Priestley is a pioneer of a new sort of gal. I state this because as a female writer with a play to produce, I have been educated to analyze my target audience. Baby-boomers? Older women only? I hate to create more division in our audiences than we have already as a society. Culture nuts? Art lovers who appreciate previous eras?

I grit my teeth at the term "chick-flick" however, I recognize my rememberances of NYC in the 70's riddled with ballet scores & The BeeGees most likely will not draw a younger, sportier crowd.
(I want to be wrong on this).

We are all getting older & living longer. Many of us have a great deal more to get done in our own "Second Half's"... I began noticing who among us was able to market to my age group, taking the blows in stride yet able to come back up smiling. This ability is a version of true sportsmanship.

Priestley has been at it for awhile now & I admire her for it. She took her elegant lankiness to the stage responding to her own archives of newspaper writings, predominantly letters that she had received from readers dealing with "the reality of being over 50 in the 21st century". Acting, singing & dancing with the Humboldt Light Opera Company, & a lover of music, her show THE SECOND HALF was set with actress/ director Valerie Gillett-Bourne. It was performed with energy & humor.

Her recent book titled "DUCK POND EPIPHANY" is available on her website www.thesecondhalfonline.com which constitutes her first novel. Priestley can be contacted via Twitter @TraceyAfter50. Hopefully, we will get updates in the future about Tracey after 100.

Is Art A Good Investment? Visiting Monaco Wealth Management

Francis Bacon's
1969 painting titled
"Three Studies of Lucien Freud" sold for a tidy $142,405,000
 at Christie's NYC.

So what's up with the outrageous prices paid for art held in the International Art Markets?

Ballet Russes by August Macke, 1912

My personal interest in Monte Carlo began as I studied Dance History. I bumped into a fabulous character named Sergei Diaghilev (1872-1929).

Diaghilev founded & directed the magazine
WORLD OF ART (Mir Isskoustva) which was published for a period of 6 years, primarily funded by Czar Nicholas II. In 1906 Diaghilev organized an exhibition of Russian painters in Paris at the Fall Salon in the Grand Palais. Thus he began his exporting of the Russian visual & performing artists to the galleries & stages of Europe.

This included composers Stravinsky & Debussy. Painters being Picasso & Matisse, with dancers being Nijinsky & Pavlova.

www.Zazzle.com

From the halls of famous dance figures, this visionary leader saved the lives of many artists as they were harbored in Europe during war. Many then came to America seeking freedom & a safe place to work.

In my mind I have always equated artistic wealth with the famous BALLET RUSSES DE MONTE CARLO, although this title refers to companies founded after the death of Diaghilev.


Wealth Management, with expertise in the arts, is a feature of monacowealthmanagement.com

Quote "World record art sales as super-rich snap up Freuds, Koons, and Warhols...$142m spent on Bacon triptych represents just fraction of global demand for art sending avalanche of cash to auctions."

It has long been my theory that art is our ancient global language so for me, channeling the power of money into the power of art is a natural. I appreciate the expertise & financial acumen offered by those in Monaco, they obviously have a positive attitude which goes hand-in-hand with the abundance they live within.

Jason Lim Conductor Creates Intrigue

Recent prize winner Jason Lim 
is Founder, Executive & Artistic Director @
ODYSSEUS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA



Please view orchestral video link:

htmlhttp://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2013/09/conducting-winners-runners-up.html



MOLLOY:  Where did the inspiration for the name of your performing group come from?

LIM:  First, I wanted to give my orchestra a more exotic name rather than the name of a city or a place. The inspiration came from my fascination with mythology & the reference to every man's  journey & struggles, which I could certainly relate to.

MOLLOY:  When did you first begin playing a musical instrument?

LIM:  I started playing the piano when I was ten years old. Later when I was twelve, I started the violin, then later switching to the viola. My love for music developed from that point.

MOLLOY:  What led you to being interested in becoming a conductor, which I might add, seems to me, a daunting task?

LIM:  When my interest in violin began I saw a video of Simon Rattle, & from then on I knew I wanted to become a conductor.

Jason Lim currently works in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area & oversees the many challenges & opportunities revolving around pursuit in the classical performing arts.

Rosenberg Family Art Collection Gaining Attention Worldwide

@nytimesart, April 26, 2013
Paul Rosenberg, world renowned art dealer in Paris, had his collection looted by the Nazi regime in 1944. The lawsuit continues as interest in justice for the ruinous destruction of German culture develops.

Crated off in a train to who knows where, for three generations the family has been seeking the art which has found itself in museums and private collections.

Picasso, Renoir, Braque, & Cezanne originals are but a few of the works that have been lost.

www.metalonmetalblog.blogspot.com

The Museum of Modern Art does have within its archives correspondence with family members with letters to the elder Leonce Rosenberg. Letters also include artists notings associated with Galerie de l'Effort Moderne and its Bulletin.

History unfolds and tells its story about who received and coveted these priceless works. Many have found their way into state run collections in foreign countries. Policy leaders had been threatened by the non-verbal messages being displayed in bold colors and radical forms.

Cezanne (1839-1960) painted subjects of mortality as her became obsessed with death ideas in the later years of his life.

Vatican Art Patrons Online

For those of you that are interested in supporting the arts, let's not forget the Catholic Popes. There is a vast amount of artwork, some from controversial sources, but in general an example of a faith community seeking a method to arouse concentration & meditation towards their God.

www.antiquatours.com

New book out "Meditations On Vatican Art" was reviewed on EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) their radio division, with news about new authorities that oversee the patronage of the art work currently held within the museums.

Donation opportunities include: Raphael's Final Masterpiece: The Room of Constantine, Tribute to John Paul II, Zakopane, 12-Month Internship, Vatican Coffin Research, & Renovation of Rooms I & II in the Egyptian Museum. Many more groupings of projects & wishlists remain.

The link is vaticanpatrons.org, with chapters in California for those of you who may want a local touch.

Davenport Supports Investing in Broadway Shows

In these days of economic chaos there are some of us who figure we may as well produce a show as hang on to money that may or may not go up in smoke. High risk? You bet. Knowledge based advice try this.
http://www.theproducersperspective.com/my_weblog/2009/04/how-to-invest-in-a-broadway-show-part-i.html

Broadway Babies - Wikipedia

 Some of us who love the theatre thrive on Broadway shows.

COPYRIGHT of original music discussed

I asked the Executive Producer of Hilltop Records what their policy is regarding the use of music they produce. Hilltop Records produces music for many beginning their careers, and are seeking publicity. They operate out of Los Angeles.

www.dreamstime.com

He explained that clients of his who have their original music produced by Hilltop Records, retain their copyrights. If that same composer chooses to sell the material to another company, as long as it is not Hilltop's production, all is well. The problem is when an artist uses the Hilltop production as their own. This clears this up for me because I have paid Hilltop to produce material of mine, but I intend to use it in a musical production of new arrangements in my play "Miss-Placed: The New York Years".

ARCATA history written in poetry form posted on Youtube

ARCATA History video now on Youtube

In 1977, my mother, Sylvia Molloy wrote a poetry book based upon the history of Arcata, CA. We had it printed at a local newspaper office, which included several local photograph collections.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g7tmoKhDbg
I hope you enjoy this video. I have submitted it to Humboldt Access Television also.

EXCERPT FROM CLASSICAL PIANO BLOG WRITTEN BY DWAYNE CANNON

The following is published with permission from the author, thank you from Peggy Molloy

 The Blue Note: 

A Classical Piano Blog

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Chopin, Opus 10/2: The answer is in the palm of your hand...

If you really wanted to simplify the matter, you could consider there to be two broad categories of movement (or techniques) in piano playing: those of the arms and those of the fingers. While these compliment and re-enforce each other, they are indeed separate.

Rapid trills of neighboring notes, for example, depend more on factors involving the fingers -- clear articulation and proper alignment -- than the arms. Trills, therefore are an aspect of finger technique. (Please, dear readers, hear me out on this before jumping to conclusions.) Conversely, large rolled chords -- as in Chopin's étude op. 10/11 -- generally call for more active participation of the arm as weight is rolled, so to speak, over passive, but firm fingers. Arm technique.
Five-finger figures, repeated notes, mordants, scales and arpeggios (which have the added complication of thumb passage) are all more or less functions of finger technique; while octaves, chords, tremolos of all types, repeated chords, and glissandi are of arm movement. 

To say nothing of how to move in an efficient and coordinated way, perhaps the most basic prerequisite to successful execution is identifying (instinctively for some) which technique is best suited to a given musical trait.* 

This brings me to Chopin's flighty a minor étude. As anyone who has played the piece knows, the first difficulty to overcome is the continuous right-hand chromatic scale. It's difficult enough to learn to "run" on the keys as it is; here it has to be done with the weak fingers (the linked 3rd and 4th, and the stunted 5th). Opus 10 n.2 is thus a work aimed at developing finger dexterity in the most unequal of fingers.
Now the easy part's done...
Fast single-note chromatic scales are a function of finger technique. Fine. But how do you play one with the weak fingers? There's no quick nor fully sufficient answer. It's like explaining what music is, or why your water glass, fresh from the dishwasher, smells like wet dog.
Still, there are answers to be had. In part, it's a matter of simply getting in the habit of using the weak fingers, in scale patterns or trill exercises. Also, of getting used to the overlapping feel of the chromatic scale. Beyond that, I've found that certain general notions, central to any effective finger technique, regardless of the fingers used, can be quite helpful.
The first of these, I would say, is more psychological in nature. Namely, that finger movement is principally a downward action -- and should be thought of that way. Since the unplayed key is already elevated vis-à-vis the played key, it's entirely possible (though not recommended) to play an entire piece without any upward movement of the fingers at all. While finger lift is necessary, it's never a finality in itself. As with walking, you don't lift your foot for its own sake, but rather to put it back down on the ground again to continue forward.
A good way to improve finger technique then is to gain an understanding and awareness of how to lower your fingers.

And that's the second notion. In so far as pure finger technique is concerned (if such a thing really exists), the fingers should be activated from their departure points under the knuckles. I've come across this idea expressed in a variety of ways.
Seymour Fink uses the term "finger snaps" to describe going from a relaxed hand position to what he calls "palm position" where all fingers are extended forward (imagine making an alligator shadow puppet with your hand, mouth closed). Paul Barton, who has a popular Youtube channel, talks in one of his tutorials about an exercise he once learned of playing a note, then rubbing the finger back towards the front edge of the key, effectively bringing the hand into Fink's palm position. Finally -- to cite just these three pianists -- the French pedagogue Monique Déchaussées talks about awakening the sensation of the finger's base in the palm of the hand (Pour la technique de doigts, il est donc avant tout nécessaire de réveiller cette sensation de départ du doigt dans la paume.). 

In her book L'homme et le piano, Déchaussées talks about the necessity of developing speed in the lift and fall of the finger from this point.  But what I've found most helpful is her imagery of la voûte (or arch) of the hand, calling to mind the structural strength of a vaulted cathedral ceiling. 
Acquiring these two sensations -- of activating the finger from its base and of a solid arch -- goes a long way in resolving what I've come to think of as The plight of the Pinky (indulge me, please), so central to our Chopin étude.
The pinky's problem is principally due to its shortness compared with the other fingers; cause for instability, tension and/or weak tone quality. Because of its size, compensation has to happen on some level. It can happen in the arm position (i.e. Alfred Cortot's mouvement tiroir where the hand and arm travel on a horizontal plane to the back or front of the keys like a drawer opening and closing) or in the wrist (which can change its angle to accommodate the 5th finger). Yet as a general rule -- and especially in the case of our étude in which the 5th falls  almost exclusively on white keys -- the angle of the pinky itself at the moment of attack must compensate for what it lacks in length.
Its attack is more frank and direct. In other words, steeper -- almost vertical -- and more fully extended than the other fingers. As long as the nail joint (the one closest to the tip) doesn't collapse, this assures solid tone quality without strain (the bottom of the key might otherwise feel too "deep" and difficult to reach). Because of this, it ends up closer to the edge of the keyboard than the other fingers. 

This becomes especially clear in these stills of three pianists -- Valentina Lisitsa, Evgeny Kissin and Ingolf Wunder -- playing this very étude:

Incidentally, the arch has broader implications, as it also applies to octaves, among other things. Only in this case there are two important structural arches, one from the thumb to the 5th or 4th, and another under the wrist, both of which are sometimes accentuated by raising the wrists:

But I'm getting off track...
I'll sum up with this. To successfully manage the chromatic scale in the op10/2 étude it's important to be aware of how the fingers -- the 5th above all -- move, how they strike the keys and how to compensate for their differing lengths all the while navigating the uneven topography of the keyboard.
The next technical hurdle is playing the chromatic scale in the same hand as the accompaniment. Two roles roles in one hand.
That's for another post.

* Factors such as tempo, dynamics, character and time period (the role of the arm is much more pronounced in late romantic and contemporary works than in Baroque or Classical ones) are also important in deciding which "technique" is the most effective. 

Dwayne Cannon

About Me

Dwayne Cannon

I AM an American pianist and teacher living Paris, France. I studied piano (B.M.) at Shorter College near Atlanta, Georgia, briefly at Louisiana State University, and finally at the Sorbonne in Paris (Master's in musicology). THE TITLE of my blog may seem contradictory, since the jazz world has so completely appropriated the term 'Blue Note'. Though I'm a big fan of the genre, I'd like to reclaim the term in the name of classical music, for it was the writer George Sand who coined it in describing Chopin's music. " Et puis la note bleue résonne et nous voilà dans l’azur de la nuit transparente..." OF COURSE the reference to Chopin has a more primary significance. I am currently doing an in-depth study of the opus 10 and 25 Études, and I felt compelled to keep this journal of sorts. I'll talk about the difficulties of learning these works, the problems encountered and to how to resolve them, as well as any number of (probably useless) digressions that might pop up along the way.

European Style In Music Engraving Services

SB Music Engraving Interview
Stephen Begley and Peggy Molloy

MOLLOY: What is "music engraving"?

BEGLEY: I guess you will not have met many music engravers which is ironic given the explosion of music notation software over the last few years. I wouldn't say that we are a dying breed but there is a big difference between those of us who do this for a profession and amateur engravers marking out their personal projects.

MOLLOY: Your company (Http://www.sb-music-engraving.com) SB Music Engraving, features expert music preparation, transfer from manuscript to print, editing and arranging, and a bespoke service. Give me an example of what you have to offer the musician or composer.

BEGLEY: Some people have the software for producing the notation themselves and they're able to put the notes down in order but they have limited understanding of the metrics involved so they send us the files to us. We take the music and transform it into beautiful notation for the music stand. It has the potential to be remembered for centuries, literally. By and large most of the material comes in a handwritten form.

MOLLOY: I am in the category of the Supreme Amateur Composer. I have songs in my head and I can plunk them down on the piano, but I also totally respect serious music makers, composers and musicians, so I never want to offend them with my childish tunes. I guess you could help me with bridging that gap.

BEGLEY: I never pass judgement on the material people send to me. I've worked with Bach, Liszt, and Vivaldi manuscripts but I have also worked with lesser known composers who are not published yet. It is not for me to judge the artistic merits  of your work in any way. You can employ me to make sure it conforms to the modern conventions of music notation or to make sure it communicates your intentions to the world clearly. Whether you are the Supreme Amateur Composer or Strategic Air Command, my role is the same...to make YOU, look good in sheet music. Ambiguity is the enemy for the performer. This can be a delicate task but I've been lucky, in my experience composers are open to new ideas and trust my expert knowledge. Once everyone is satisfied that the music is accurate and clear it enters the final stage of the preparation: the cast off.
This is where the musical script is optimized for sight-reading on the page. The music is studied for turns, places in the score where a player may safely turn a page without losing the thread of the performance. The music is sized, shaped and a thousand little details adjusted so that when a player comes to perform the work, the score allows him to interpret  the vision of the composer without the score standing in the way.

MOLLOY: Where are you located?

BEGLEY: I live and work in Central Bohemia, in a town called Beroun about 30 minutes from Prague. I work from my studio at home. The office space is crammed with books, scores, the computer, my gadgets and me: organized chaos. I work with people from all over the world. It creates some unusual office hours when communicating between vastly different time zones. Occasionally, I will take out my papers and pens to meet with clients and work with them face to face. With Prague so near, it is a great opportunity to get some solid work done in a fabulous city.

MOLLOY: How did you learn your skills?

BEGLEY: I am still learning but to answer your question it began with being a musician. I was educated in the UK but education there and music education in particular, leaves much to be desired so, after serving my time at University, I started my education performing and composing. I am one of those musicians who never reached the top of the pyramid, but the older I got, the more I realized my interests were broader. My principle instrument was always the guitar -  from acoustic to classical. Classical guitar is something of a niche in the classical world so then I started to join orchestras and worked in percussion.

MOLLOY: Where do you get your business?

BEGLEY: In recent years I have served as Editor-in-Chief for a Swiss publisher, Bisel Classics and trained several engravers during my time there. I was a contributor (a minor one for sure) on the latest
version of Sibelius. I am also a contributor to the SMUFL code, a brand new music character set that will revolutionize the way music notation software works in the future. With a background in editing and music notation being created on the computer, I went into business for myself. For marketing purposes, I used to advertise in trade magazines, but the returns never covered the cost of carrying the advertisements so I gave it up. I have a stack of business cards that I carry with me at all times. Social networking, newspaper interviews similar to this one, these are where clients find me.


MOLLOY: Are the arts undergoing a renaissance where you live or work?

BEGLEY: Prague is a culturally rich environment with galleries, exhibitions, art-house cinemas, ballet and dance, theatres and several orchestras. It is perhaps not as ethnically diverse as London for instance, but in the Western European tradition there can be few places like it. I guess everyone has suffered with the recession, however and funding changes from the EU are having an impact on promoters who are struggling for the first time in years. This doesn't stop the influx of sheer talent onto the streets - that seems to grow year on year -  but it does make it more difficult these artists to find open doors.
Artists will always run into tough times, it goes with the turf. The trick - I guess - is not giving up when it happens to you.

Begley can be reached at:
Email sb@sb-music-engraving.com

Interview With Conductor Rihards Buks

@RihardsBuks on Twitter

 Interview by Peggy Molloy with
 Conductor Rihards Buks of England.




MOLLOY has the good fortune of chatting via email with Conductor RIHARDS BUKS Http://www.artcommerceonline.com

MOLLOY:  Is it difficult for you to balance your expertise in Social Media & Marketing with your musical career?

BUKS:  For me it is the same as a work and life balance! I keep Classical Music close to my heart and never thought about it as a JOB or WORK. It is the most precious thing in my life and it will stay like this forever! I'm trying my best to differentiate my conducting from the music production 'factory' feeling and every activity from my side regarding conducting and classical music I keep closely personal and unique. I love Classical Music, always did and always will and it is an essential part of my being. Marketing and Technical web related stuff is where I am polishing my expertise regarding human psychology and habits. It is closely related to business and I see this as being very logical and naturally good; Work = Business, Soul = Music.

MOLLOY:  How old were you when you began your musical training?

BUKS:  I was 8 years old.

MOLLOY:  At this point, what is it that you are most proud of within your profession?

BUKS:  I'm most proud of the fact that I had a chance to meet really great teachers and personalities.
I had a chance to learn a lot and I had a chance to be around the world quite often. Here is a small list of my teachers for you:
     Prof. L. Segerstram (Finland), Prof. Ravil Martinov (St. Petersburg), Jooyong Ahn )USA),
     J.Domarkas (Lithuania), A. Kukushkin (St. Petersburg), Giorgi Jordania (USA), D. Hendel 
     (Bolivia), A. Alekseev (St. Petersburg), J. Shteinberg (USA), J. Suckov (Moscow), Maestro
     Kurt Masur (Poland), Colin Metters (Great Britain), Enhbatar Batarzav (Mongolia), E.F. Brown
     (USA), I. Resnis (Latvia), and Prof. A. Titov (St. Petersburg).

MOLLOY:  Have you lived in London all of your life?

RUKS:  No, I haven't. I'm here only for the last 4 years of my life and now I'm relocating to Malta.

MOLLOY: What is your favorite musical composition?

RUKS:  I don't have just one because because each composer has a period of his life that has something unique and individual that is very close to me. I differentiate composers by their period of the creations and not by composition. Only one thing I can tell you for sure - J.S. Bach for me is the Father of Classical Music as I see it and every human being should have to listen to his wonders at least once per week! I believe the world would become much better if that could happen. One of my favorite composers at the moment is J. Brahms and his symphonic repertoire. Of course there is the whole scope of Russian masters and Austrian geniuses which are part of my education and frankly, I don't have the possibility not to love them.

Bob & Donna Sellers, Kathrin Burleson continue to show work

BOB & DONNA SELLERS,
  & KATHRIN BURLESON BOTH

Sellers (707) 442-2123

FEATURE SECOND 
weekend of showings in the Humboldt County.

Burleson (707) 677-0490

Interview with After-School-Enrichment Coordinator Abby

Interview with Abby Munro-Proulx and Peggy Molloy, Moderator

Abby Munro-Proulx

MOLLOY: Are you traveling to Thailand again this summer?

PROULX: Yes. We have contacts at three schools where we will visit and teach or work with teachers for a least a week each. Last year we worked on one school with a visit to another.

MOLLOY: does an outside group organize this?

PROULX: Because of AFS (www.afsusa.org) we have many contacts in Thailand. We also have contact with an organization, which helps rural Thai students get educations.

MOLLOY: Are you seeking more volunteers to join you?

PROULX: The organization actually looks for teachers for three months or longer positions. The local coordinator is Sandi DeLuca of Coldwell Bankers.

MOLLOY: What is your educational background?

PROULX: I have a teaching credential and have worked in a variety of settings, often in a supervisory role. I am a graduate of HSU, BS in Fisheries Biology. I have lived in Humboldt County since 1964. I have student taught at Jacoby Creek School. in Bayside.

MOLLOY: How do you think your faith as a Quaker have manifested in your efforts as a community member?

PROULX: I think that it means I am self directed and my actions are what is an example of my religion. I do not attend Quaker meeting but I still have connections with the group.

MOLLOY: How long have you been active with the after-school enrichment program at Jacoby Creek School?

PROULX: I started the After School Enrichment Program when my younger daughters were at JCS.  I started, as a parent volunteer and later became a paid employee. Valerie Bourne remains as the only instructor of the original group.

MOLLOY: How many children have you and your husband Michael Proulx “fostered”?

PROULX: Our family was involved in foster care for many years and has adopted two of the children who were placed with us.  We have six children total, and five grandchildren.

MOLLOY: When did your interest in the international student community begin?

PROULX: In about 1995 we began to host with AFS and have been doing that ever since, either by hosting a student or teacher, or hosting an HSU international student. We now have an international family and keep in contact with these family members around the world. We also have AFS volunteer and staff friends around the nation and the world.

Proulx has been a stellar community member and her efforts echo in the lives of many children and adults throughout our county. Speaking from personal experience, Proulx is patient, sincere and resourceful. The educational realm is better because of her efforts within the school framework and her support of the arts.

Abby Proulx Journaling Photo Thailand

Self-Interview with Peggy Molloy

Self-Portrait of the Artist

 Self-Interview by
Peggy Molloy



I thought it would be fun to interview myself so here goes!
The questions are from Monster's website written up by a Monster Staff Writer.


ROLE OF HEADHUNTER: Tell me about yourself.

MOLLOY: I just finished a Masters of Science degree with Full Sail University in Business Entertainment. Review of coursework http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AKQ9_56xcE
I live in a hamlet surrounded by Redwood trees, with a wonderful elderly parent and a very loving Great Dane. I am a lifelong learner, I am always taking classes somewhere and I  am an industrious worker.

ROLE OF HEADHUNTER:   What are your strengths?

MOLLOY: I am resourceful, independent, artistic and brave.

Molloy with pet Dane

ROLE OF HEADHUNTER:  What are your weaknesses?

MOLLOY:  I get bored easily and I enjoy talking too much.

ROLE OF HEADHUNTER:  Why do you want this job?

MOLLOY:  I want to work with others on projects that enlighten & educate via the visual & performing arts.  The strength of our society is its ability to problem solve and create new technologies and artistic methods, currently we are having a digital renaissance in the film and music industries.

ROLE OF HEADHUNTER:  Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?

MOLLOY:  Producing operas & ballets, creating special events for charities, embarking on my efforts as a philanthropist.  I highly value the individual voice, and treasure the live performing skills some people are blessed to have. The arts are our ancient global language. My new website features the
idea of how high tech meets high touch. www.artcommerceonline.com

ROLE OF HEADHUNTER:  What's your ideal company?

MOLLOY:  Being an entrepreneur since I was a child, I plan to begin marketing the arts online. However, I have witnessed many fine leaders in my life, including my dad.  I once worked for Tiffany & Co., I thought they did an excellent job of customer service through manifesting enduring relationships. I  I loved the minimalist window displays and high quality of merchandise. (2002, Palo Alto store) www.shoppaloalto.com/tiffany

In my youth, which I lost to the ballet studio...I spent a summer with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, as a "dancer-on-the-green". In retrospect, I can say it was a great experience and I met such wonderfully, talented people. (1972, Margaret Davis, married name)  www.osfashland.org
 
ROLE OF HEADHUNTER:  What did you like least about your last job?

MOLLOY:  My last "real job" (I currently have two part-time jobs) was tedious in that I was being micro-managed. I recall stating that "I manage myself" when it was disclosed that there was no acting manager. There was an owner, and a busy-body, and they would gossip with the rest of the staff.
I hate gossip on the job, I hate being micro-managed having worked for some of the finest jewelry firms in the country, so it was difficult for me to be in an environment where there were no clear boundaries of responsibility, no policies in place for problems, and a general lack of education and lack of respect for education, about how contemporary business is run. I only give advice when I am asked.  I was not asked, so I finally wrote a resignation letter, or two, or three, and made a gracious exit. I did not respond with rudeness and I did not leave immediately, I gave a month of notice, and did my best to maintain respectful relationships throughout the engagement.  (Trained in pearl & diamond grading, colored stones, gems & metal identification, 1996-2001) www.gia.edu/alumni

ROLE OF HEADHUNTER: If I were your supervisor and asked you to do something that you disagreed with, what would you do?

MOLLOY:  I would perform the task requested and if I didn't appreciate how I had been treated, meaning I believed I had been set up for failure to make the "superior" look good, I would stealthily watch to see if this were a single incident or was this behavior going to become a pattern. I would not confront. As my dad would explain, "Honey, you can't change people, just do your best to get along and not make things worse".  I might discuss it privately with my supervisor behind closed doors. 
Newsflash, some managers just don't listen, even to themselves! If fraudulent or immoral, I would resign.  I feel no obligation to change anything, except by being a role model. I do not evangelize...
I have discovered many people in authority positions are often thin-skinned and cannot accept criticism no matter how well intended it is, therefore, unless someone asks me for my opinion, I keep it to myself.  In general, my professional and personal behavior is based upon principles. So few people think like this, I have given up attempting to communicate it, except of course, in my own blog.

ROLE OF HEADHUNTER: How do you respond to romance on the job?

MOLLOY:  I abhor this new "friends with benefits" routine.  I was taught to never fish off the company dock, if you need this explained to you, I'm sorry for you. I will sometimes socialize with co-workers, but in general I keep to myself,...besides there is always a novel excerpt to be written, a song to be captured on a napkin at a restaurant, or a new artist to speak with about their work. In sum, I am very square, particularly about married co-workers. If they are willing to cheat on their spouse, i.e. their best friend, then they will certainly cheat on me! I am old-school, I dress very modestly, and believe women will be treated the way they dress. If you want men to respect you, then behave like a mini Queen Elizabeth. If you want women to respect you,  I don't know what to do. 

ROLE OF HEADHUNTER:  Why did you not pursue a musical career?

MOLLOY:  I found the music industry environment very sexist. Whenever I explained I composed music or had music in my head that I needed help with to notate,  I was basically laughed at and/or dismissed. There were no women professors in music departments that I could see, and the young men I knew in the musical field, usually wanted a secretary or baby-sitter. I would end up being married to a musician who ignored my talent. I do not smoke mariujana or nicotine, and I never auditioned on the couch, so I knew I would never fit in with the "scene"...It is very different now, and I am happy to see young women excel within the music industry. Female composers may have a new role in the future. I hope so.

ROLE OF HEADHUNTER:  Do you think your state of chosen isolation helped contribute to your composing efforts?

MOLLOY:  My songs came out all at once in the middle of the night, forgive me, like a burp. It was totally involuntary. It began when I was living in Montreal, Quebec in a former Lord's manor, then a convent with quarters for out-of-town girls. I was studying dance at the time. We were also being given piano lessons as part of our dance teacher curriculum. There was a piano in a small library above the chapel. "Singing With Myself" is how I describe my studio work creating my own songworks in the 70's. MeeMee & Mee & Mee reflects the many faces of Peg. I cannot read or write music so the only way to archive the songs was to sing them, then harmonize with myself.  I have participated in many choirs throughout my lifetime, but I learn auditorily, matching the pitch vocally and memorizing  musical sequences. I love formal, classical choral works. The Requiem Mass in particular. I love the opera and once toured the northeast with the Opera Company of Boston, now defunct.

Having written a musical that is seeking production "Miss-Placed: The New York Years".
www.stageplays.com/products/miss-placedcategorycyberpresscode333  
My budget is $247K, having created a gantt chart to detail the costs in terms of time and money. When considering the opportunity costs, I chose another route to work within the framework of the arts. That was a rude awakening! Perhaps someday my piece will be considered historical commentary.
It is to be danced, so it really is a dancers show, I have my dear friend Clover Mathis engaged as the choreographer. We worked together in Boston in the Danny Sloane Modern Dance Company.
http://www.jango.com/music/Miss+Placed?l=0