Two longtime nonprofits providing music education in La Plata County are combining forces.
Durango-based Stillwater Music, which specializes in pop music, private lessons, accessible classes for disabled clients, and general music education, and serves around 1,000 students per week, is going to be joining forces with the smaller Be Frank Foundation, which has been serving an average of 250 students per week in Bayfield, largely providing orchestral music education and classical instrument rentals.
Jana Leslie, executive director of Stillwater Music, calls Stillwater and the Be Frank Foundation “different genres with the same mission.”
“Both of our organizations are very community driven, being nonprofit organizations that provide opportunities and access to music education, and it just made a lot of sense for us to bring the two teams together,” she said.
Lech Usinowicz, formerly executive director of the Be Frank Foundation, who will be taking on the position of Orchestra Department Chair at Stillwater, said he’s excited for the new opportunities the consolidation will provide, both for his career and for the community.
“I’ve had kind of a revolving door of volunteers and support staff, and when there isn’t anybody in the office, a lot of that weight is on my shoulders,” he said. “So, it’s a pleasure to be working with the wealth of experience and knowledge that (the Stillwater) team has, and to be supported in these creative initiatives.”
Usinowicz said the partnership will allow for the more rural communities the Be Frank Foundation has historically served to have better access to comprehensive music education.
“Taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture, I think there’s a lot of value this partnership has for programs in Bayfield, and for all the programs and communities that we're already serving,” he said. “The goal of all of our programs is for them to outlive ourselves, so putting ourselves in a position that makes these organizations and these programs sustainable – that’s the goal. This will be much better long term.”
The physical Bayfield Be Frank office has already closed as of late July, and the services Usinowicz offered through Be Frank will now be moving into the Stillwater Music building at 1316 Main Ave. in Durango.
Eiley Connell, long time music student at Be Frank, who has also taught at the Foundation, said the consolidation will provide valuable resources to the Be Frank Foundation.
“For Be Frank, the more outreach that it has, the better, because it really does have such a positive impact on students,” Connell said. “I’ve seen it through teaching, especially – as many kids can get that access to music at a younger age, the better. It’ll be really cool to see what they can do together, to further what Be Frank has already accomplished.”
Be Frank and Stillwater Music have both historically prided themselves on making music education accessible to children and adults of all economic standings, and intend to maintain that shared mission through the consolidation. Though, according to Casey Padron, development director at Stillwater Music, inflation has affected the organizations’ financial operations, and may continue to.
“We’re operating under the mission that everyone should have access to music, and we’re walking the walk of our missions with this move to combine our forces and consolidate resources,” Padron said. “But in terms of pricing, we have gradual increases that are following inflation.”
Despite this, Leslie and Usinowicz plan to work hard to keep financial aid readily accessible to those who need them.
Usinowicz has worked with different families’ economic needs through the Be Frank Foundation, and Stillwater Music offers need-based scholarships for at-risk and underserved youths.
“Stillwater scholarship awards have exploded over the last few years,” Leslie said. “Five years ago, we were doing about $20,000 in scholarships. Now, we’re doing $60,000. The scholarship applications are coming in fast and furiously, and we’re never going to cap it and say, ‘nope, sorry – we ran out of scholarships.’”
Some Bayfield families who have been with the Be Frank Foundation have voiced some concerns about the consolidation, Usinowicz said, but were soothed by his assurances that nothing about Be Frank’s programming or missions will change – except for the location.
Overall, Leslie and Usinowicz said the response from the community, their clients and their stakeholders has been positive.
“This collaboration will only open doors,” Leslie said.
“It’s been resounding support and celebration,” Usinowicz said. “(People are) pleased that we collectively have a unified mission and vision for what music education can look like in La Plata County, Archuleta County, Rio Grande County and beyond.”
epond@durangoherald.com
