Music is an active art form, requiring physical effort and hours spent honing the body’s skill. And yet, rarely do the worlds of exercise and music-making connect—until now.
Maestro David Dworkin is an East Coast conductor who’s worked with many professional orchestra companies to produce beautiful renditions of the classics we love. Now, he’s using his experience to help people discover music and health, and he’s bringing his program to Santa Maria.
“I had this idea for a long time. Conducting is physical, it’s very physical,” he said. “So this has been boiling in my head for quite some time.”
The idea Dworkin is referring to is “Conductorcise,” his own brainchild. The program incorporates classical music and movement the conductor makes to create a low-impact exercise program that also includes exploring the music on a deeper level.
“The physical part is natural,” he said. “I teach a few basic conducting patterns—whether they use them or not, I don’t care—but I give them a baton and we start moving with the music, and they immediately connect with the guy on the podium.”
Dworkin says that his program also aims to help improve cognition and brain health with music.
“The brain stimulation I work with, I try to make them aware of all the different sounds and color in the orchestra,” he said, “and when you are doing that, you are stimulating all kinds of things in the brain.”
This aspect of the program is invaluable, says Dworkin, who often works with the elderly. Even someone with Alzheimer’s can remember an old tune from their past, he explained.
“In the 1940s, they wrote a song called the ‘Anniversary Waltz’ after a classical piece called the ‘Waves of the Danube,’ and when I play that song for people in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, and when they hear it, it is just amazing,” he said. “Music does have a recall.”
Dworkin, who is nearing his own 80th year—and the 10th year of “Conductorcise”—is a veritable encyclopedia of musical history, with which he peppers his exercise classes.
“I think this is a way of introducing everybody to classical music,” he said. “People leave my program saying, ‘I’m going to be listening to music differently.’ I don’t know how it got put up, but there should be no barrier between symphonic music and the guy on the street.”
This part of the program makes it fun and exciting for kids, exposing them to music they may not have heard before, while taking an active role in conducting the music, Dworkin explained.
“There is so much that is involved in this program, not just musical education, but movement,” he said. “Even people who don’t want to move, they move!”
Dworkin will be making a stop in Santa Maria at the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center to present his program to locals of all ages. That’s another fun aspect of his program: It can bridge the divide between several generations.
“I applaud Santa Maria for getting this out to the seniors in the community,” he said. “Some of these people haven’t moved for months, and just because they are chair bound doesn’t mean that they aren’t building muscle tone and increasing blood flow, which helps blood flow to the brain and all those cells.”
Dworkin, who is 79, is touring up and down California with his program. Santa Maria is only one of eight stops he’ll be making in four days.
“I appreciate every day, and I am very energetic,” he said. “I try to be a role model, and I bounce around as much as I can for as long as I can. I’m not afraid to sweat!”
Swing it
The Central City Swing and the Pioneer Valley High School Jazz Band present a dual concert on May 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Unity Chapel of Light, 1165 Stubblefield Road, Orcutt. More info: 937-3025.
On tour
First United Methodist Church presents the Ohio Northern University National Tour Choir in concert on May 28 at 7 p.m. at 925 North F St., Lompoc. A freewill donation will be accepted. More info: 736-1271 or lompocumc.org.
Keeping the mic open
Lucia’s Wine Co. offers an open mic featuring wine, poetry, and live music on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at the tasting room, 126 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt. More info: 332-3080.
Good time to ‘Wine Down’
The Addamo Tasting Room and Bistro present “Wine Down Wednesdays” featuring live music on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the bistro at 400 E. Clark Ave., Old Orcutt. Free. More info: 937-6400 or Bethany@addamovineyards.com.
Maverick music
The Maverick Saloon offers live entertainment, including a special live concert with the Little Big Band on May 24 at 8:45 p.m., followed by “Late Night with guest DJs” at 11:30 p.m. “Concert on the Deck” featuring the Owen Johnston is May 25 at 3 p.m. Dusty Jugz performs on May 25 at 8:45 p.m., followed by “Late Night with guest DJs” at 11:30 p.m. at the saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. More info: 686-4785 or mavericksyv@aol.com.
Contact Arts Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in May 23-30, 2013.