Artreach Music Program
Artreach Music Program Director Dick Pape is a career musician who has also worked in the mental health field. We are very lucky to have him on our team. Dick organizes Artreach's Annual Music Showcase; leads the Jazz group; and teaches guitar and bass lesson. He is also the band leader and lead guitar player for Shrink Rapt, one of two house bands that plays for up to 20 program member for the Music Showcase.
Annual Music Showcase
Click here to buy tickets for 2022 Coffeehouse
Artreach's Annual Music Showcase is also known as "The Come Together Coffeehouse." We changed the name awhile back, because Coffeehouse sounds like it's an Open Mic night - and believe me, this is no open mic night!
Artreach members, usually 16 - 20 of them, choose a song they would like to sing with a band. Rehearsals are held for 8 - 12 weeks, with half of the members rehearsing one night with volunteer band Jean Pool and the Chromatones, and the other half with staff and volunteer band Shrink Rapt.
At the end of the rehearsal process, there are 3 nights of performances at a local theater. The Music Showcase is a very popular event with Artreach's fans and friends.
Songwriting Classes
In 2015, Becca Atkins started teaching Songwriting classes at Artreach. For the past several years, she has been studying songwriting from several angles, including taking many classes through Berklee School of Music's Online school. She is sharing the tools of the trade with a group of Artreach members, who are working collaboratively to develop their songs.
Collaborative songwriting is a great skill that translates into many areas of life - it requires leaving your ego at the door, exploring each others' strengths, and learning "when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em." They are enjoying it so much that the group gets together for a second two hour study group between classes to work together on their songs!
Jazz Group and Guitar Lessons
Dick Pape leads a weekly intermediate level jazz group. The musicians get together for two hours and play songs from the Jazz "Real Books." This is a wonderful afternoon of music, and the musicians get to learn new things from each other and hone their chops and improv skills.
The picture to the left shows the jazz group (Becca and Chris down front, Alan and Dick in the back with guitars) performing at a local elderly housing facility.
Dick also teaches guitar and bass lessons when there is a group ready to learn to play.