Brian McCaffrey and Pablo Siqueiros

00:02 I'm Brian McCaffrey. I have 64 years of experience of life.

00:09 Add today's date is July 27th, 2018 on our location to st. Paul Minnesota my relationship to my partners. I have been his student.

00:22 My name is Pablo. Cicadas. I'm 20 32 years old. Today's date is July 27th, 2018. Where located in St. Paul Minnesota my relationship to my partner is that I am his teacher.

00:49 So Brian, can you tell us a little bit about where where you grow up? And what are what are some of the strongest memories that you have your early early life early artists such as I grew up in Brooklyn Center Minnesota, and some of the earliest art experiences affect. My sister was incredibly creative and talented and artists in so there would be things on the walls all the time and sometimes we would make

01:28 Good bunk bed into a submarine or different different Adventures that we would be we would be going on by the art that was on the wall. She was more of a visual artist. She was a visual artist. She was quite talented in my family. It seemed that.

01:50 Everybody got to have one specialty my oldest brother could tear anything apart and put it back together. Okay, and my next brother could sell out.

02:03 Refrigerators basketballs, my sister was the visual artist should name them my oldest brother's name Skip and my next brother is 10.

02:19 And my sister is Bonnie.

02:22 Where where are you in and I'm the youngest of the youngest? Okay, and so my gift was I was the one that got to have an instrument. So I played saxophone and so I played throughout high school and first year of college and that introduced me to a whole realm of music on

02:52 I'm a musical eclectic in that my oldest brother is 25 years older than I am and so his music was a big band and Jazz. So that's what I got to hear when the window perch Hi-Fi was bought and brought into the house. Haha. And then my older my 10 was the country-western person console that got got a little Hank Williams and and other things Patsy Cline.

03:28 And then my sister Bonnie was American Bandstand and then I was the I was the rebel child. I was born the Boomer who came up with the folk music and do you have Bob Dylan and Bob Seger and and Peter Paul and Mary and in fact, but but I developed a love for all of it my family listen to WCCO radio. And that was the only station that was allowed in the house really sew in the back bedroom with head with a A near Jack and your plug. Haha highway. I do listen to KQRS.

04:27 The haunted house which was the which was the alternative rock out of your saxophone playing sort of influence What You're Made Of your taste in music is so Broad near me.

04:45 It interested in really introduced me to classical music and and all sorts of kinds of music. I played in The Jazz Band. How can I play the marching band? Haha. So I just I loved it all introduced me what my brother introduced me to Stan Getz and John Coltrane and infection. So I got to listen to to the Jazz as well.

05:23 Really?

05:26 It just broadening my my whole perspective and and love of almost all kinds of music as I said, so did you ever pick it up after after college once in awhile? I still have it in the closet or do you I paid for money a few years ago to get it all fixed up and played it for a little while. I'm in between teeth right now waiting for dentures in so I'm hoping once those are back. Maybe I can have it on but sure again. So what what does that feel like when you when you pick it back up?

06:06 Oh.

06:12 I love

06:14 Being able to make music and my instrument of choice right now is harmonica. So I play harmonica my instrument when I play the saxophone is generally some sense of disappointment because I really was pretty good when I was younger and now it's fingers have to relearn everything usher in the squeak overcoming to the embarrassment of the squeak.

06:52 I should not say that to that.

06:56 Was really blessed by my first music teacher, mr. Lawrence and band director in high school, mr. Rounds and mr. Thompson.

07:19 They really brought as I said brought the instrument that life in my hands. And so yeah, I appreciated that my biggest embarrassment. I'll tell you my biggest embarrassment in high school was again not being that familiar with classical music, but I remember asking if we could play the prelude in fog you instead of you I learned later but I survived I never live that one down.

07:54 That it's interesting how music music teachers have a kind of a unique role and in people's used as formative years learning a lot about yourself and discovering what you like what you're passionate about and to have a teacher that can really tap into that and talk about. Select Confederates. That sounds like that sounds like it's hitting home. Yeah. Yeah a little bit, you know, so for me I

08:30 I don't really come from a musical family at all.

08:35 My dad and a few of my uncles on my dad's side have sort of a joint choirs, but later in life, but growing up. I wasn't really around a lot of music. My brother wasn't very artistic either in terms of interns of Music. He liked painting but not it wasn't necessarily something that that

09:06 She was truly like passionate about and in the scent of Life. The part of who he is, you know.

09:14 So it wasn't until my brother is 3 years older than me and we both grew up in Mexico and moved to the US when I started 7th grade and she was starting 10th grade and when we moved here, she joined the choir at the high school and it was a an all men's sort of show choir kind of Glee Club type of thing. And I remember them coming to perform at our Middle School where I was and just thinking it was the coolest thing. I've never sung in a choir before or really done anything like that and really the only reason my brother took it as because it was kind of the only elective that was still open.

10:14 So they came and they didn't they put on their show and I just thought it was so cool that

10:24 I decided you know, that was something that I wanted to join when I got to be that agent and

10:32 And sure enough I audition for for the choir.

10:38 And going into my freshman year of high school and I was one of Four Freshmen that made it in and

10:48 I just had like such a great experience with that. I I

10:53 Really came out of my shell. I felt like I was good at it which was

11:03 Unique in that in the sense of that. I not having had any sort of experiences like that before to feel like I was good at all. This is I wasn't expecting that and until I really got to

11:21 Build a lot of wonderful friendships many of which I still have today, even though I'm sore on the other side of the country now cuz it was in in San Diego.

11:34 And so after after that, I wasn't in that choir all four years until when total came to that time when a lot of my friends were

11:47 Starting to pick colleges and what they were going to major in and all that stuff. I just didn't really have a strong desire to do any other thing except for this choir thing.

12:03 No.

12:05 I will say during High School. I didn't have the best of grades. So I ended up choosing not to apply to any Universities right away and just went straight to a community college right after high school and I did that for about 4 years and during but the rent during those four years. I volunteered over at a different High School where I

12:31 What sort of on the other side of of a table I was hoping that the director is there until I got a little bit of a taste of what it's like to be acquired right now that this is what I want to do.

12:48 Since I wasn't until I transfer to San Diego State University as a music education major that I had a really wonderful voice teacher who?

13:02 Not only helps my voice improve but was a very truly a mentor of mine who really encouraged me to.

13:15 Pursue

13:17 I guess I'm more of a performance career, which I did for for some years.

13:25 But have now sort of made my way back to teaching in the setting of Minnesota Opera. So I got to sort of mix a little bit of both worlds, but influential teachers that I had didn't come until a little bit later in my schooling.

13:47 I got nothing in Mexico. We didn't really have music classes.

13:55 I think it was in the school where I was you couldn't really take music as a as an elective until you were in high school really anything before then just wasn't really available.

14:14 Say what sort of by chance that I sort of fell into music and some way.

14:23 So since we started talking a little bit about what my role is now with Minnesota Opera, this is actually how we ended up meeting.

14:36 So the

14:39 The first day that that we came in earlier this year to to do this 8 week course on the Opera Rigoletto. What was what was your first impression about the one when when Marcia and I step into that room.

14:59 I actually need to step back and say it was the previous year, okay?

15:06 That boy in. Yeah. When I was Marcia and Eliza Eliza, and at that time, it was kind of like well I got nothing else to do. I I think I'll just go in and check this out. Then I'm curious. That's that's one of my strong characteristics of curiosity. Haha. And so I went in and as I said, I have not a have not been a fan of Opera too much but these people when was the the talent that they brought into the explanations that they brought and the kind of behind-the-scenes information. That was was just kind of engaging

16:00 And the real difference for me with the Rigoletto was that I got chosen to be regular do at the first and I kept asking for his time. And so I got to got roped into a participating and I really appreciated how you engaged people in the process of

16:26 Playing out the story I was at so that it was not just hearing about it. There are such as I'd we got to demonstrate his and they're becoming these characters how many characters so that was a lot of fun?

16:43 And then

16:47 Ever said Not only was at going on you were teaching us, you know the art of dying and everything else kind of got got into it as the what's the different the different sets that have been portrayed in in different styles and the wacky production wacky Productions. Yeah. I was really think so.

17:19 And and you guys were just very personable. So, thank you.

17:25 Yeah, it was such a good experience cuz I like I had never

17:32 Done any sort of educational programs in nursing homes retirement homes and and wasn't really sure what to expect and it wasn't until I met with Marsha over coffee to sort of plan out to those first couple of classes. Don't worry about how you're going to be perceived or or anything like that. I know there are very very warm students and very welcoming of new ideas and new approaches and they'll try anything.

18:18 So bringing in the sort of like role-playing activity. That was one of the great things that that really surprised me to be honest how how willing you and and the other people who were at the class were willing to just

18:40 Try it now and being that you were probably one of maybe two three at most men that were not yours by default chosen to be the character of Rigoletto teams instead of modern language. We had you guys singing sometime.

19:12 And you were all about it. You were just like yeah, let's do it. Let's try it.

19:19 Which I am a dollar jobs so much more fun more enjoyable and we

19:25 That's way more than we were there that at least that I was even expecting. I wasn't sure what to expect. So that was really cool. Pleasant surprise, and it sort of opened my eyes a little bit.

19:46 What's

19:49 What impact like

19:52 We could have outside of Education Department. You often think you're only in schools. You're only teaching elementary kids. Yeah, but that's

20:04 People want to learn at every stage of their life. Yes.

20:09 And that was something that that you guys showed me.

20:15 Wonderful. That's what am I Petty areas is the fact that week I lifelong Learners that there is something Gene Cohen would say that the one thing that continues to grow throughout life is creativity. And and so whatever opportunities one of the reasons I chose lyngblomsten is exactly because of its art programs and such and had lots of continuing

20:48 I guess I call it continuing education opportunities. So

20:57 I think you made a huge difference for a lot of people in that you not only connected them to that day and time but you gave him some things that I could take with them with the experience. So how since you've you've sort of been through that program twice already?

21:22 In what ways do you?

21:27 Experience a performance differently now after that.

21:33 I'm interested.

21:39 I think I've actually I listen to a lot of music and I listen to some operas now. I find that.

21:55 When I go

22:00 I'm challenged to watch I'm I'm visually impaired so I can't read the screen. So but I just to see the movement on the stage and what's going on in and hear the voices are the voices coming from Of Mice & Vine.

22:21 Is it golden Yoda, haha last magnificent and so be able to to go and and appreciate the artistry.

22:45 I hope you get to feeling very often you get to play in in the forest or since moving here. I haven't done as much as I did before I'm part of that was it was wanting to focus on on this more than teaching artist position when I was at my last company, I would be in the chorus and and my

23:16 Initial contract with that company was as a full-time singer. So I sort of went full steam ahead with with a full-time performing career right away and then have slowly been moving myself over to the education side of things. So, but I think now

23:38 Singing has taken on a different role in my life is no longer my livelihood entirely.

23:48 Where's can be a just a lot of pressure to put on yourself and

23:54 I think people who are who are making a living off of their singing would probably say the same thing that it's there's a lot of pressure in.

24:06 And these two little vocal cords here being your entire livelihood.

24:13 So now now being a teaching artist for the company, which is a unique thing to the Minnesota Opera has in having a full-time teaching artist.

24:28 Most

24:31 Arts organizations that have teaching artists are usually contracted. So having this allows whoever's in this position to to have that sort of stability and that isn't always there with your pursuing performing all the time, which is something that was very important to me at this point in my life. Which bed you in doing this if I'd your pencil

25:03 Check my inner artistic South.

25:09 I think part of it is.

25:14 Being around the art form up pretty much all day everyday.

25:21 Even though as always

25:24 Saying earlier how we're sort of in cubicles and some way you always you're surrounded by.

25:32 Posters of Productions you're here singers walking down the hall is warming up and you hear recordings playing at any given moment. You always sort of around it.

25:47 But also in the in the teaching of the art form

25:55 There's there is some artistic fulfillment in that in that you you sort of recall all the things that you've been taught throughout the years and you realize that you

26:13 You know more than you think you do, which is has been a very interesting experience for me and being able to pass on some of that knowledge of some of that experience to somebody else.

26:29 That was going to say for so many of us the only Opera we knew when from Bugs Bunny cartoons. I will sure be able to bring open up the hole.

26:44 The whole field for people

26:47 Yeah, I mean it was interesting because we're like I was saying earlier when when I was meeting with Marsha and not sure in a

26:57 How does experiences was going to go with with you guys? I was like

27:03 What is a

27:06 30 something year old singer have to teach to people who have twice the age of experience than that. I do what more can can they know that I have to offer?

27:23 And and that's sort of one of those like you have to sort of a dick in a little bit and you find that you do actually have a lot to offer.

27:35 Which. I think is it is time to question them what has fed me that realization that

27:46 That everyone has something very unique to offer.

27:55 Weather is it said the teacher or as a learner?

28:00 Everyone has a unique story that unique set of experiences and

28:08 It's our job to sort of a low for the. Kind of exploration of each other's experiences.

28:18 And it just happens to be that Opera's kind of that Medium that we're using.

28:31 Using an instrument to being the instrument.

28:35 Oh.

28:38 People often I've been told that I have a good voice and it was very strange for me. Cuz I I never I never sang in the choir until I serve the church that was so desperate that they talked me into joining and I can't see that my voice. Is that good at the time, but again,

29:07 Who add some magnificent people just helping along the way I'm spacing out on her name.

29:17 Robert Charles conductor Parker

29:23 Her name is Parker. Last name Parker. She used to come up and vacation and why she would vacation she would help lead help lead the choir and teaches things and there was a local person who is a musician who wrote pieces for the church choir and and so being under him and such just open me up. I still don't really read music as far as vocally but

30:00 I say I seen what you ever seen you out as next to me.

30:09 Even mentioned that as a Lutheran Pastor in a music and vocal music is a pretty big part of that huge piece of it love music love love getting into a group of pastors and having us have I didn't think generally people will be rather robust and then they're in their vocal vocalisations and harmonies keep kicking in and feel a lot of people had I've had choir backgrounds. So it's a lot of fun lot of energy.

30:55 And

30:58 So

31:00 Needing to do it with liturgy vocalizing liturgy than vocalizing in the choir and then just on my own always sang in the shower kind kind of thing.

31:14 It's just kind of continue to self now that I'm in the choir over at lyngblomsten. Haha, and enjoy doing that. And so

31:27 Social scene

31:29 Music we were talking about this shifting that there's a movie called alive inside about the music being used in working with people with Alzheimer's and such It's a Wonderful fact that music is stored in so many parts of the brain that that you can lose pieces of the rain in the music is still there. And so that you play some music and it's kind of like jump-starts pieces of the rain.

32:08 I love

32:10 I I would bring my iPad around with speakers and in the alzheimer's unit, then we would have sing-alongs and we we we would put on whatever old song by Patsy Cline. Hahaha are they Hank Williams has my brother's old stuff for we put on the big band stuff or whatever else and just get people singing along and moving along and I'm I love how people can respond to music. How is livens

32:46 The moment Oliver Sacks release spoke to that in in that movie alive inside.

32:59 Show Chicago. We have 10 minutes now. Anything in participating in this program.

33:14 Were you able to develop any new?

33:21 Friendships with with fellow participants in the program and the woman who was with my daughter.

33:37 Oh gosh, it Escapes Me. Me too. But whatever. We see each other in the community.

33:53 I think

33:59 Yeah. Tell you the truth. I don't seem like it but I wish I person.

34:06 So it's kind of like that come out and do a roll and then just kind of okay. I'll go back to my room now introverted.

34:21 I have my moments of verse when I can be on stage and be a performer and then I need my alone time.

34:33 It's like that.

34:35 It's nice out that you're able all of you were able to be to try those things in front of each other and not have not as hell you feel self-conscious or or or shy or it was a safe enough space for you to buy those things. What do you think? That's where does that come from? I think

35:02 Basically enough life experience that people want want you to succeed.

35:13 It's not a well enough known topic for most of us to be critical. The real critics aren't there. Everyone's on the same boat in in in learning about this for the first time?

35:32 I think yeah.

35:36 Brian how does it feel to pick up a new a totally new interest in passion. Such a such a later age.

35:47 I don't think it feels all that different than at that and that other ages I think life is filled meant to be filled with passion meant to be filled with new things. There is always is always something new is always some tree ocity to reach out to I think the ability to find life engaging is one of the tough lessons in life. Sometimes particularly for realtors.

36:26 Because it feels like there's so many losses.

36:30 And in the end the losses, can you can lose in pressed?

36:38 And so one of the things again that that you bring is

36:48 A Temptation out of the depression you bring something that that leads people to fail in it. I didn't know that or this is new or that was fun or whatever kind of an experience. I might want to do I want to hang around to see what they bring next year are already starting to talk about it. So what advice would you have for other other people who may be want to participate in a program like this, but maybe are unsure.

37:28 Oh, just give it a chance and bring your

37:33 You say oh, I don't like Opera love come and find out what the people who sing the Opera are like build a relationship and find out that they themselves make the story interesting. The story itself is the thing that that carries the music so

38:01 Did it help to and we only did a couple of activities like this, but two related to personal experiences that you've only had and I think so. I think I was a great idea.

38:18 I think that's that's the part of it that that maybe some people are are missing and that they don't know whether it's going to be relatable. But I guess I do know what it's about the story and then really digging into that and when you find those

38:37 Points of connection with when your own experiences have that's when sort of it becomes a meaningful connection. So I wanted to thank you Pablo for bringing that to lyngblomsten and I want to thank you for inviting me to come to storycorps and and to do this and that and thank you for taking time out of your Friday 2 to do this, and I will neither of us really knew exactly what what to expect. But I'm glad we were able to have this conversation and got to learn a little bit more about each other's story, and hopefully we continue to do that going forward as well. I hope to see you next year. Thank you.