E-MEETING: Music, the Universal Language: Why Do We Love Music?

Club member Rick Harrell will explore music as a fundamental part of the human experience that serves a vital role in important occasions in every culture.

Archeologists have found musical instruments from 43,000 years ago, older than the earliest known cave paintings. Young children perform enthusiastic rhythmic and melodic expressions even before they can speak. Music can move us to joy, laughter, tears and ecstatic group movement.

Science has made enormous strides in observing the neurologic functions of music in the brain. As these mysteries are revealed, there are extraordinary implications for using music for a broad range of therapeutic purposes including the treatment of depression, dyslexia, dementia, brain trauma and PTSD.

Richard Harrell, Director of Heroes’ Voices, spent over 25 years teaching, creating musical events and providing performance opportunities for singers on three continents at many institutions, including the Juilliard Opera Center, San Francisco Opera Center, the New National Theatre Tokyo, Bangkok Opera, Yale University, Operafestival di Roma, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

While his primary focus is on veteran’s issues with Heroes’ Voices, he continues his work as an internationally-renowned Master Class instructor, and serves as Associate Director of the Orfeo Foundation, an international non-profit organization supporting young opera performers. A frequent judge for vocal competitions, he annually adjudicates for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

Rick performed with such companies as the Baltimore Opera, La Scala, and Lincoln Center Theatre Company. He performed the role of Bernardo on the Deutsche Grammophon recording of West Side Story conducted by Leonard Bernstein.

His education includes a Master of Fine Arts from the State University of New York, at Purchase. He also studied in the graduate program of the Manhattan School of Music and received his Bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the Catholic University of America.

Rick has been a member of our Club since 2014.

This is a regular membership meeting of The Rotary Club of San Francisco, open to all Rotarians, visiting Rotarians, prospective members, and guests. The meeting is free, but you must register here to get the link. 

Meeting Schedule:

12:00 Noon: Log in or dial in

12:15 PM: Meeting begins

1:30 PM: Meeting adjourns