Milwaukee High Five
High Five: Karen Deschere
Friday, December 05, 2008Karen Deschere came to Milwaukee four years ago to assume the position of President & CEO of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.
Karen Deschere, President and CEO, Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
Now living near the Milwaukee River on the east side, Karen previously lived and worked in Chicago (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), Los Angeles (Grammy Foundation) and New York (Hudson Valley Philharmonic, Alliance of NYS Arts Organizations). Karen has brought with her to Milwaukee over 25 years of arts administration experience in all facets of the musical world, which perfectly fits her role with the Conservatory where students of all ages and abilities can study music in a variety of musical styles.
We noticed that Conservatory has a new logo and tag line. Could you explain why this change is important to the Conservatory?
Even during my interview process for this position, it was immediately apparent that the organization’s name barely scratched the surface of what was going on here. I kept searching for those three magic words that would help to describe the enormity of what we do. As I met people around town and talked (and talked) about the Conservatory, people would be amazed at the depth and breadth of our programming. And while it is one thing to talk about it, the board and I felt that a re-branding effort was truly necessary. Through lots of time, pro bono consulting work, focus groups and meetings, our new look was born –we love it and hope you do, too! When we came up with “for every stage” it was a “bingo” moment!
What do many people in Milwaukee not know about the Conservatory?
Well, that’s a long list! The Conservatory is a community music school, a movement that was started in the late 19th Century by European settlers wanting to insure that cultural opportunities were available to all children, regardless of cost. And that is still a huge part of our mission. Many folks don’t realize we have two locations in addition to our Prospect Avenue mansion – at RiverPoint Village in Fox Point and at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts in Brookfield. They also may not realize that our 94 faculty members, or teaching artists, work in almost every genre of music. We are not your grandmother’s Conservatory anymore: in addition to classical and jazz music instruction on all the instruments, there are classes in bluegrass, rock band, Afro-Caribbean hand percussion and hip hop beat-making as well as classes for infants, toddlers and seniors. However, I think the biggest program-no-one-knows-about is our successful Conservatory Connections program – where our teaching artists go into the schools to deliver year-round music programming from general music to Band Buddies to drum line instruction. And yet, there’s still more: our 40 concerts, our music therapy program and our outstanding music library.
What other things in Milwaukee make this a rewarding place to make your home?
The wealth of live music and near-by cultural activities. From the clubs in Riverwest to the Marcus Center and Broadway Theater Center, there is wonderful music and theater here. I love the lakefront, Trocadero and Alterra Coffee.
What music are you currently listening to on your CD (or DVD) player?
We are surrounded by music all the time at the Conservatory, so sometimes when I go home I enjoy the quiet. But if you looked at my CD player today, you’d see Peter Serkin playing Bach, Joni Mitchell’s Miles of Aisles, Jackson Browne’s solo acoustic live album and Oscar Peterson.
Why is music education important?
This is my favorite question. I know that for me, it is what kept me in school. It was the place in school where I felt valued and part of something. And I believe that my story is not unique. While I “got by” in school, my music education provided me with the tools to excel in arts administration. Music education is well-rounded education; focused on the individual, but always part of something larger. The concepts of teamwork and flexibility, the abilities to listen and synthesize, to be constantly aware of the big picture and the smallest detail at the same time are skills we learn by studying music. These skills remain with us throughout our lives, whether or not we keep practicing! In order to build the workforce we need to address the challenges of the 21st Century, we need creative, out-of-the-box thinkers who can handle ambiguity – precisely what music teaches.
