Afternoon with an artist

His name was Luka,

He lived on the second floor,

He lived upstairs from her,

Yes, she got his mail all the time . . .

A bit of a deviation from how the song goes, but that’s how the real story went.  I know because I heard it straight from Suzanne Vega.  She told the story of “Luka,” her celebrated and heartbreaking song about child abuse, to a group of high school students in Kent, Washington. 

I presented a concert by Suzanne Vega as part of the performing arts series I produce.  In addition to her public performance, I arranged for Suzanne to conduct a workshop in a local school.  I try to incorporate these types of educational outreach activities with professional artists as often as possible.  Interacting with an artist in an intimate setting provides depth of experience that a traditional concert performance cannot.  Getting that kind of glimpse into the creative process is unique and powerful.

So, I sat in the library of Kent-Meridian High School, along with about 40 students and a handful of staff, on a chilly January afternoon while Suzanne Vega spoke openly about her art.  Listening to any artist talk about their work is interesting at the very least and usually quite compelling.  This was not just any artist.  Suzanne Vega is widely regarded as one of the most brilliant songwriters of her generation.  She is a masterful storyteller who rewrote the book on what female singer-songwriters can say and do, paving the way for artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Tracy Chapman, Shawn Colvin and the entire Lilith Fair revolution. 

I grew up listening to Suzanne Vega.  I have distinct memories of spending sunny Saturday mornings on my trampoline with Billboard’s “Top 40 Countdown” playing on the radio.  I remember practicing back flips to the relentlessly catchy “Tom’s Diner” . . . I am sitting, in the morning, at the diner, on the corner . . . I am waiting, at the counter, for the man, to pour the coffee . . . and resting to “Luka.” I knew it was a serious and sad song, even though my young mind was not entirely able to fathom the tragedy it described.

It was more than a little thrilling for me to watch Suzanne Vega interact with these students – a Grammy Award winner, an iconic voice in American song standing in a humble high school library speaking to the students with an obvious conviction that they each have the potential to achieve as much as she has achieved.  She spoke about her creative process and gave them tips on finding and honing their individual artistic voices.   She read poetry, told stories and discussed the music business. 

Suzanne Vega speaking to students at Kent-Meridian High School

She told the story of “Luka” in response to a student’s question about how long it takes her to write a song.  She explained that she had been working on the concept for “Luka” in her head for many months before she actually sat down to write it.  She knew she wanted to write a song about child abuse, from the perspective of the abused child.  There was a young boy who lived upstairs in her building named Luka Vega.  Because they had the same last name, she often received his mail by mistake.  She doesn’t think he was actually abused; he just seemed quiet and a little different from the rest of the kids, and the name seemed right for the song. 

Suzanne playing "Luka" for the students

A highlight of the afternoon was when Suzanne performed a spellbinding, a cappella rendition of “Tom’s Diner,” her voice was barely louder than a whisper and the students were transfixed.  It is important to know that this educational activity was completely optional – students chose to sign up and stay for an hour after school to participate.  It was the Friday after semester finals and I was worried no one would show up.  Not only did the students show up, they were thoroughly engaged and asked thought provoking questions.

One student who sat in the front row with his guitar was the first to raise his hand and ask a startlingly insightful question.  After the session, two separate teachers told me that the young man is typically very quiet and rarely speaks in class.  Another student was thrilled to share his original poem with Suzanne.  It happened to be his birthday.  After she autographed the poem, he walked away, beaming and saying, “This is the best birthday ever!”  The group was very diverse, including Somalian, African American, Latino, Asian and Caucasian students. Approximately 70% of the student population at Kent-Meridian participates in the free or reduced lunch program, so it is safe to assume that many of the participants were from lower-income families.  As we talked after the workshop, Suzanne described herself as a "hot-lunch kid.”  She explained that she enjoys reaching out to kids in a similar situation to help them imagine a future full of potential. 

These are the times that I truly love my job.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out so well.  At some point during the process of setting up every educational outreach activity, I swear that I will never attempt it again.  “Why?” you ask; because it is nearly impossible to find someone to host the activities.  “How can that be?” you say, “Who wouldn’t want to bring such a valuable experience to their school?”  Good question.  I’ve had more than a few opportunities go unutilized because I couldn’t find anyone to take them.  I don’t mean to be too critical of teachers and administrators.  I know they have a lot going on.  Between classes and administrative demands and trainings and tests, it’s difficult to make time for extras.  But it’s so worth it when they do.  I’ve seen it time and time again, and when I call and email and knock myself out and get nowhere, I want to yell and scream and shake somebody. 

Part of the problem is the lack of a neat and tidy way to get the word out.  The Kent School District is big – 40 schools and more than 25,000 students.  I keep thinking there should be a central person to contact, or maybe even a standard group of people.  I’ve tried starting with the district arts coordinator.  I’ve tried going to the principals.  I’ve tried approaching the music, art and drama teachers.  None of these strategies work as a rule.  The only effective method is labor intensive and nerve-wracking – making repeated phone calls and emails to varying people until I happen upon the right one.  At some schools it’s a principal; at other schools it’s a teacher. 

Two schools passed on the Suzanne Vega opportunity before I finally connected with an energetic English teacher at Kent-Meridian High School.  He got excited.  He made a promotional video that he played in the cafeteria during lunch periods.  He talked it up and, as a result, nearly 40 kids showed up for an experience they will never forget.  He wrote me a thank you note the next week, saying “The world needs more artists who make themselves accessible like Suzanne Vega.”  I agree.  I also think the world needs more teachers who are willing to go the extra mile.  It required the work of a number of people to make the Suzanne Vega workshop happen – the presenter, the teacher, the artist, her agent and the tour manager.  Some people might look at the effort involved for the number of kids served and question whether it’s worth it, but they would be underestimating the impact on those 40 kids.         

I have another artist – a classical pianist named Alpin Hong – performing a concert this Friday.  He will spend Wednesday and Thursday doing school assemblies.  Alpin is a dynamic personality, not to mention a brilliant pianist.  He has a background in skateboarding, snowboarding and video gaming.  He teaches kids about classical music by showing them how it influences movie, video game and pop music.  As always, I spent a frustrating and disappointing three or four months trying to set up school performances.  I had only one of four potential assemblies scheduled and had given up on finding schools for the others until the Suzanne Vega workshop inspired me to give it one more try.  All four assemblies are now spoken for – three middle schools and one high school will host student performances this week.  Prior to Alpin’s public concert on Friday night, he will work with 1,000 students.

As I made my last-ditch-effort emails and calls, one teacher declined the opportunity, saying, “I don’t want to give up a day of rehearsal.”  I understand the importance of regular rehearsals, I really do.  I grew up dancing and playing music and performing in plays.  I get it.  But there are rehearsals every day.  Students aren’t going to go home at night and excitedly tell their parents about rehearsal.  They aren’t going to remember the rehearsal they had on Thursday, March 17, 2011 ten or twenty years later.  The things they’re going to talk about, and remember, and be inspired by are the Suzanne Vegas and Alpin Hongs, the artists who take the time to share their thoughts, skills and passion.  These unique and powerful experiences are the ones that create a spark; the ones that will be remembered.  I’m willing to keep working to make them happen.  I really wish people would quit passing them up. 

Every year my high school had a career day.  I believe we got a half-day off from our normal class schedule to learn about different professions.  The lawyers set up in the auditorium, while the medical professionals took over the gym.  Accountants, hair stylists and insurance agents filled the classrooms.  I typically found it moderately interesting even though none of the professions motivated me.  Then, one year, somebody different showed up – a screenwriter named Lorraine Williams.  Lorraine and her husband, Oscar-winning editor, director and producer Elmo Williams, had just retired to our small Oregon town.  Lorraine sat, not at the teacher’s desk in the front of the classroom, but at one of the student desks with the small group of us that gathered to hear her speak.  She was mesmerizing and I stayed there listening to her through the whole afternoon.  I’ll never forget how exciting she was, her armful of bangles jingling as she spoke passionately about the movie industry and writing.  She was an artist, talking about art and it inspired me.  I didn’t grow up to be a screenwriter, but I’ve never forgotten that day.  And, more than 20 years later, nothing says artsy sophistication to me quite like an armful of glamorous bangles.   

Lorraine Williams passed away in 2004, and even though she didn’t know me – I was just a kid, at a desk, listening to her talk about her art – I think of her often.  I’m so glad she came to our school that day and I’m so thankful somebody on the staff of my high school thought it was important enough to give her the time and space to share with us.  I have no idea what we were studying at the time or what we would have been practicing that day.  I’m sure it was all very important and that we got right back to it the next day.  I really don’t recall, but what I will always remember is that afternoon with an artist. 

Me with Suzanne after the workshop, loving my job.