Page 3 - Imagination Comes To Life

~ President’s Notes ~

In the first part of the season I shared with you how we can view culture as our shared
daily experience in this place and time, and how we tell our stories through the arts and
humanities, especially through music.

Two of the major influential and beloved presidents of the twentieth century also shared beliefs that are rec-
orded in the annals of our history. President Ronald Reagan said that the arts and
humanities teach us who we are and what we can be. They lie at the very core of the culture of which we’re a
part. President John F. Kennedy in his remarks at Amherst College on October 26, 1963, stated, “ If art is to
nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him...but
democratic society—in it, the highest duty of the writer, the composer, the artist is to remain true to himself
and to let the chips fall where they may. In serving his vision of the truth, the artist best serves his nation…”

Thus to serve our nation the best, we must be passionate in sharing our American culture with other coun-
tries, and we should be open to learning about the cultures of others as well. With such an exchange we can
not only enrich our lives by expanding our visions, dreams and abilities, but by encouraging people in other
nations to do the same, we can enhance their lives as well.

Case in point, the recent cultural exchange with China, a collab-
oration of the Muscatine China Initiative Committee and the
Consulate General of the People’s Republic of
China in Chicago. The Fifth Annual Happy Chinese New Year
concert held on January 30th in Muscatine was
outstanding. China shared with us part of their culture by perfor-
mances of the Shanghai Orchestra, Little Ants Kunqu Opera Art
Troup of Yuquan primary school, and the Zhejiang Shaoju Oper-
ata Theatre.

I believe that this international exchange has enriched us for the better, letting us be free to dream and to im-
agine a new version of ourselves and of the truth, as we artists perceive it. Keep dreaming, keep writing and
composing, keep striving for your truth and be the best artist of yourself!
Meet you at the symphony!

Cheers and see you at the symphony.

Carmen Bugay
President, Board of Directors

"Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music." - Ronald Reagan