My name is Penelope Musto and I am a junior music major with a concentration in management studies. I’m from Milwaukee, Wisconsin originally, which means I have a strong affinity for cheese and have an even stronger case of “midwest nice”. I play cello in the St. Olaf Orchestra, and I write program notes for our concerts and tours as well as for the Bakken Trio in the Twin Cities. I also teach cello lessons to elementary school students, and am in a string quartet with some of my best friends on campus. I’m an avid record collector, coffee/espresso enthusiast, and just started watching Grey’s Anatomy for the first time so please don’t spoil it.
There are a lot of reasons this class stood out to me. Growing up in a suburb right outside of Milwaukee and now being in college in Northfield has allowed me to escape from living in a big city, something that has always intimidated me. This immersive class experience seemed like a great way to introduce me gently into city life, as its something I’m considering for my post graduate future. Beyond that, though, I have a passion for the arts and especially accessibility and inclusivity in the arts sphere. I’m really interested in the relationships between the arts and sociology, audience development and diversification, and how arts organizations interact with the community (and vice versa). In my work with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra last summer I had a chance to dive into these issues in the context of the Twin Cities. I’m interested to see how the same challenges manifest in DC, a place such a complex history and with many stark divides in their population.
DC is also in a unique position as it is so close to the people in power who could make the arts a more well funded area and a bigger priority, so I am interested to see how arts organizations here utilize their platforms to advocate for the arts in a uniquely impactful way. The people in the audiences of performances here could be the ones able to make big changes in how the arts exist in this country, and I’m curious to see how places with unique platforms use their power of speech to make an even stronger message. This is an amazing place to be as an aspiring arts professional, and I’m excited to make the most of it!