From Idaho to Boston: All for the Music!

     In June 2011, I got rid of nearly all of my possessions, put everything I owned into my small car and drove the long trek from Moscow, Idaho to Boston, MA. It took me 5 days of driving, nearly 50 hours, and a lot of snacks to finally arrive at my new home in Somerville. When people hear that I am from Idaho, I am always asked: “Why did you move to Boston?” My answer is easy: music!

     In Idaho, opportunities to perform are rare. Sure, there are some community theaters, perhaps a few concerts if you live in a college town, and a few bars to gig at, but there really aren't a whole lot of performance opportunities for musicians.

     Now that I’m here, I can say that it was a great choice for me. Boston is filled with so many musical opportunities that I can’t even begin to list them. But more importantly, there are loads of great resources for finding this information. Here are just a few useful websites and groups I’ve found to learn more about the Boston music scene:

New England Theater 411 –  A free site that lists upcoming auditions/theatrical volunteer opportunities as well as any upcoming performances within the local community theaters in New England.

Boston Singers’ Resource  – With a $40 membership you get weekly emails with a full calendar of upcoming auditions, job opportunities, and performances in the Greater Boston Area.

Opus Affair  – A non-profit organization made up of young artists and friends that focuses on building the arts community. With its monthly events, it is very easy to network with other local artists and to find about upcoming performances.

     Of course, the best way to find information is to jump right in and join an ensemble where you will perform with musicians who are already members of multiple local ensembles. As a member of Chorus pro Musica, I learned about the Harvard Summer Sings Chorus, which I then promptly joined. Through that choir, I learned about a smaller choir that performs motets, Summer Seasonals, and through all of these choirs, I always hear about upcoming opportunities.

     I hope to see you all around the Boston area indulging in some form of musical activity in the near future. In the meantime, I’ll keep trying to convince all my Idaho-an friends that Boston is the place to be if you’re a musician!