Side-By-Side Music - With Social Distancing

by Karen Barnes Kaplan

The concerts have been postponed, but the partnership between Keys 2 Success (K2S) and the Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey (BONJ) is alive and well. Jee-Hoon Krska, K2S founder and lead instructor, is collaborating virtually with Maestro Robert Butts, the founder and conductor of BONJ, on the score for a “side-by-side” concert sometime in the fall. “We hope, by then, our musicians can practice together and we’ll be able to play together, which is such a joyful and enriching format for our young musicians!” Ms. Krska said.

To the casual observer, the partnership might seem unlikely. K2S teaches piano to roughly 100 children (in normal circumstances, when schools are open) in the Ironbound section of Newark, including students from Pennington Court public housing. BONJ is a full orchestra of professional musicians, bringing classical music to communities in Northern New Jersey. BONJ is celebrating its 25th year; K2S began only four years ago. What pulls these two very different organizations together?

“We are both passionate about bringing classical music to as wide an audience as possible,” said Maestro Butts. “Ms. Krska has opened a tremendous opportunity for me, and for BONJ musicians, to share this music with young people and their families who might not otherwise have access. And I love working with the kids--they’re so enthusiastic!”

The planned “side-by-side” concert will bring young K2S piano students together with the BONJ orchestra to perform a classical piece being composed by Maestro Butts. Currently, he and Ms. Krska are focused on the composition and arrangement of the music. Exchanging scores and notes electronically, the two are working to showcase the students’ learning as well as the collaboration between their respective groups.

“Music exists to be shared,” Ms. Krska observed. “A concert like this gives our kids a chance to see their part in creating a much larger sound, which brings their experience of the music to a whole new level. And then, through the collaboration, we can all share the music with our audience—which is another new dimension. It’s the perfect fulfillment of our mission.”

With the Newark schools closed, the piano classes that used to take place in a curtained-off section of an auditorium now take place virtually, by cell phone or computer, with approximately 30 of the “Keys kids.” Some had a piano or keyboard in the home; others borrowed one of the K2S keyboards, usually stored at the school, for home use during the closure. That leaves almost two-thirds of the students without access to a musical instrument. Ms. Krska is currently sponsoring a keyboard drive so that more children can continue their lessons and practice from home. “I’d like to have as many of our students ready to participate in a public performance as we possibly can,” she said.

In a recent email of musical notes from Maestro Butts to Ms. Krska, Dr. Butts shared that his composition is striving to demonstrate “working and growing and being alive together. I think maybe it's part of what is going on right now - time for being together.” Indeed! And what better way to work, grow and be alive together than through music?

Readers can follow BONJ at www.baroqueorchestra.org. Learn more about K2S at www.keysnewark.com.