By Eva Trieger in Ramona, California
I suspect that Fiona Chatwin would agree with Shakepeare’s Duke Orsino of Twelfth Night fame when he said, “If music be the food of love, play on.” This certainty seems to be a common thread uniting the mission statement and all of the programming at Villa Musica.
In a telephone interview I was able to speak with Chatwin, who holds a doctorate in music, about her comprehensive non-profit and its recent expansion into El Cajon’s Fletcher Hills neighborhood. The new venue at 2382 Fletcher Parkway is near the intersection with Navajo Road. It neighbors the Barbecue Pit.
Chatwin founded Villa Musica 20 years ago to create a communal space where people could come together to celebrate music. High-caliber performances unite musicians of several genres and provide summer concerts for those on hiatus from established groups including La Jolla Symphony. Another arm of the organization embraces third grade students throughout the San Diego Unified School district. Still another prong of this multifaceted nonprofit extends to older adults. Encore! Is intended to provide musical engagement through lectures, recitals and social get togethers.
The Jewish value of tikkun olam encourages repairing the world by uniting people and banishing isolation by creating communities of support, love and nurturance. Chatwin expressed that this is at the very core of Villa Musica. “We believe that music has the power to heal isolation and build community for people of all ages and backgrounds.” Furthermore, the idea of lifelong learning is a shared Jewish ideal, and central to Villa Musica’s mission.
Founder and vocal teacher, Fiona Chatwin began her musical career as a 6-year old growing up in Australia. She “nagged” her parents to buy her a player piano, and she sang along with the piano rolls, thus discovering that she could sing in eighth or ninth grade. Chatwin credits her high school with having a strong music program and she was encouraged to pursue a formal education in college and ended up seeking her doctorate in the UCSD under the vocal direction of now-retired Carol Plantamura. This experience provided Chatwin with the golden opportunity to perform in world premieres and meet young composers, one of whom became her husband!
While voice was her primary instrument landing her a spot in the San Diego Opera, Chatwin also played piano, violin and recorder, and she even got to join the adult Mariachi Ensemble! And as if all that weren’t enough, in 2017, Chatwin founded a new angle for engaging the larger community with Villa Musica.
Unfortunately, last year, Chatwin lost her father. He had suffered from Parkinson’s and dementia-related illness. Drawing from studies done on neuroplasticity and the brain, Chatwin jumped into exploring the connection between music and cognitive rewards. Citing a 2014 documentary, Alive Inside, Chatwin decided to provide an opportunity for those with dementia and cognitive decline, along with their caregivers and families, to create playlists of remembered favorite songs. Along with these lists, the participants are encouraged to undertake a creative adventure, writing biographies, with the guidance of expressive art therapists. The program has a six-week run and provides attendees with dignity and a sense of personhood and worth.
Like several programs at Villa Musica, the work is made possible by grants from Prebys, National Endowment for the Arts, and private donations. The classes do have set fees so that the faculty can earn a living wage and receive benefits, however, when necessary, Chatwin explained, a sliding scale is implemented because the goal is accessibility for all regardless of financial constraints or any cultural barriers to entry.
In terms of creating community engagement through education, Villa Musica decided to bring music training into the schools. Providing weekly music lessons to 30 schools, kids follow the Carnegie Hall curriculum, which introduces them to Beethoven’s Fifth and other classics. They are provided with instruments that they are allowed to take home for practice.
At the end of the year, the students have a culminating orchestra performance where students attend and participate from the “kid pit,” the first 6-10 audience rows. As partners in the Link Up program the children use their newly mastered skills to join with one half million kids around the globe!
Our local area libraries have also provided great spaces for Villa Musica to introduce people to engage with each other and celebrate their passion for music. Satellite programs at Logan Heights, City Heights and Linda Vista libraries offer programs for all, and selections are determined by surveys given to the patrons.
The Villa Musica Summer Orchestra will perform a high-level orchestral program, executing a whimsical piece selected by a musical team including Aram Akhavan; Bill Gilmer, Board member and bassoon player; and Community Engagement Director Aaron Bullard.
The original facility is located in Sorrento Valley and boasts over 4,000 square feet, six music studios and a recital hall. However, with the goal to reach more San Diegans, Villa Musica has just recently acquired a new space! Fletcher Hills will be kicking off the season with a new series. A limited-seating concert will feature classical guitarist, Orel Rodriguez. This open-house event will take place Sunday, July 19. and only about 25 guests can purchase tickets. UpClose@the Villa, will offer an intimate hour-long concert and a chance to speak to the artist
According to the Villa Musica website, students have already registered for private lessons for the upcoming semester, which begins August 23. The group program is priced very reasonably, and all instructors are highly qualified musicians, many with master’s or doctoral degrees.
The opportunities to get involved and explore your own musical soul are plentiful, and especially now with a second location.
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Eva Trieger is a freelance writer specializing in the coverage of the arts.