Creative industries in Washtenaw County add hundreds of millions of dollars to the local economy. In the weeks and months to come, host Deb Polich, the President and CEO of Creative Washtenaw, explores the myriad of contributors that make up the creative sector in Washtenaw County.
ABOUT KEN KOZORA:
Ken brings a wide musical perspective to his performances and compositions on an array of electronic and acoustic instruments and has collaborated with an extensive list of local and international musicians, dance companies, filmmakers and a wide variety of visual and media artists.
Ken brings a wide musical perspective to his performances and compositions on an array of electronic and acoustic instruments and has collaborated with an extensive list of local and international musicians, dance companies, filmmakers and a wide variety of visual and media artists.
His commissioned music and his solo live composed and improvised soundscapes have been featured in award winning films, dance works, festivals, art gallery and museum installations and events, kids' events, book signings, architectural openings, and many other site specific and special occasions, including Art Prize, Diectricity, Ann Arbor Film Festival, Alden B. Dow Museum, Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Awareness Film Fest - Los Angeles, Global Water Dances, Detroit City Dance Festival and 555 Gallery to name a few.
While reflecting and retaining an original and unique aesthetic, Ken’s music elicits an experience that resonates, enhances and delights audiences of all ages. His diversified resume history includes electronic music faculty - Washtenaw Community College, Development staff member - Ecology Center, music technology consultant/sales - Inkwell Technologies (Nalli Music). Currently, he teaches private trumpet/drum students, is Co-Director/facilitator for special needs KO Camps – Oz Music and his growing reputation as a visual artist has garnered commissions, premiering his artwork at A2 Hands on Museum 2019.
He founded Horns for the Holidays in 1996, a grassroots instrument collection/repair/recycling program, re-distributing close to 900 instruments in Washtenaw County and beyond for kids who can’t afford their own.
Google Ken Kozora for more info.
RESOURCES:
Tales from the Subterranean Playground: Ken Kozora & "Horns for the Holidays"
TRANSCRIPTION:
Deb Polich: Welcome to 89 one WEMU's creative:impact. I'm Deb Polich, president and CEO of Creative Washtenaw and your host. It's a pleasure to have you here to join me as we meet the artists and creatives who make an impact in our community as performers, producers and champions for greater causes. I'm thinking about spring cleaning, and you'll know why in a minute. Manchester resident Ken Kozora puts me in awe. He's a musician and composer who has mastered a wide array of electronic and acoustic instruments. He has collaborated with an impressive list of local and international musicians, dance companies, filmmakers, and has worked on many visual and media products. He also puts his heart into his community. Among other things, Ken manages a little known, but impactful project that has big heart: Horns for the Holidays. Ken's here to tell us about this grassroots project that has had this great impact. Ken, welcome to the show!
Ken Kozora: Thank you! Thank you for having me on!
Deb Polich: Yeah. So, I think I first met you back when you were starting Horns for the Holidays. When was that? And when and why did you start the program?
Ken Kozora: Well, it was 1996, the week leading up to Thanksgiving in 1996. I was wanting to do something nice. I thought about trying to serve some soup or something like that. And it occurred to me, because of my history in the music industry and whatnot, the whole vision for the program came in about 15 minutes--that I knew of instruments that were out there. People had brought them into the store and stuff like that. I used to work at Natalie Music. And then, we couldn't buy them or use them, so people would take them home and put them back in the closet. So, I knew there was instruments out there. And I knew educators that could help me identify students that couldn't afford instruments. And I knew repair people. So, it all just kind of came together in a flash of lightning. And I said, "Let's do this!"
Deb Polich: That's so cool! So, you mentioned educators--teachers. Many of Washtenaw County schools have great music programs, but not all of them. And some offer kids instrumental music right away and provide instruments for students. What difference does it make for a kid to actually own their own instrument?
Ken Kozora: Well, two things. When I started this program, that wasn't necessarily the case. So, that has changed over time. And many of the schools offer instruments, I think, right through junior high and stuff like that. So, that wasn't the case. In terms of the difference that it makes for kids, basically, if a family can't afford an instrument, at least, again, early on in the program and up until not that long ago, then they couldn't participate in the music program. And so, it filled that need. And that related to it when I was a young kid. And we couldn't afford an instrument, but somebody had donated one to the school. And that's how I got into music. And I owe it all to back then.
Deb Polich: You know, we talk a lot on creative:impact about the importance of arts and creative education, whether it's music or other forms. You started playing when you were young. And what impact did that have? I mean, you obviously became a musician. But what other things did you learn in your musical training that you applied to the rest of your life?
Ken Kozora: Well, Deb, so it's almost hard to separate that, because I grew up in through that program. And basically, I've been in music. So, it is such a big part of me that sometimes it's hard to identify what came from where. But, of course, I'm older now. And we reflect back and whatnot. And if you look at band programs, it requires a fair amount of discipline to engage in music. There's the social aspect of it, of learning how to play within a group. You're really working intimately, psychologically, physically and everything with all those around you having to navigate that as a young kid all through school and stuff. So, there's that aspect of it. And those things carried through my life and the different types of gigs we would do and stuff. We would play at senior centers. We would play at these homes where special needs people would live back then. I'm starting to sound old fashioned, but that's the way it was. And we would go out to those homes, and we would play. So, we learned to engage with different populations and age groups. I work with Steve Oz at Osborne...sorry, Steve Osborne at Oz's Music. And we produce special needs camps.
Deb Polich: So, through music, you've created not only you were part of a community that is the band, but you've created lots of community using music in so many different ways.
Ken Kozora: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, it's really ingrained in my being. Like I said, sometimes it's hard to parse that out what came from where. But that's how I flow. I think music, for me personally, it's, if you will, music is energy. It's cosmic energy. It's spiritual energy--whatever you want to call it. And, actually, I'm a firm believer that everybody possesses that--possesses the music and the ability. I don't know if you're familiar with Oliver Sacks or not, but he's written extensively on music and the mind and how we all have music in those synapses.
Deb Polich: Right.
Ken Kozora: It's just a matter of if we develop it or if we engage with it. And I think that's where the program--
Deb Polich: Came from.
Ken Kozora: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Deb Polich: 89 one WEMU's creative:impact continues with local Manchester musician Ken Kozora, who runs Horns for the Holidays, a re-gifting instrument program for local students. So, seriously, Russ and I are cleaning out our basements. We're doing the spring cleaning thing, and there's a couple of instruments in our life. So, if we were intending to actually gift those to you, how do we do that? And what then happens to the instruments after we give them to you?
Ken Kozora: Okay, Deb, I'm glad you asked on that process. Now, the instruments, just to be really clear, they're not gifted to me. They're gifted to whoever they end up with. So, it is recycling.
Deb Polich: Recycling program.
Ken Kozora: I'm an intermediary.
Deb Polich: There you go.
Ken Kozora: So, I collect them, and, number one, people can, email me at zencora@gmail.com.
Deb Polich: And we'll have that on the website.
Ken Kozora: Okay. All right. Yeah. And they can drop them off at Oz's Music on Packard in Ann Arbor. And I assume you'll have the address for that. And, basically, just get a hold of me. What happens once I receive them, I have a good friend, Michael Westhoff, that's been working with me on the program for a number of years. And he's an expert repairman. He goes over them. We make sure they're in working order. We make sure they have reeds and mouthpieces and supplies and stuff like that. And then, we find a home for them. Actually, I have to point out. So, these instruments do not go to organizations. They go to individuals.
Deb Polich: Got it.
Ken Kozora: So, that's the difference. There are many organizations that have the wherewithal, the funding, the ability to write grants. So, they have financing. They can buy instruments. We don't give these instruments to schools or organizations. We give them to individuals.
Deb Polich: Great. So, can we talk about that for just a minute? Because we've got to wrap up.
Ken Kozora: Yeah.
Deb Polich: For those individuals, first of all, are there certain instruments that you get a lot of? And then, secondly, the individuals--how do these young people respond when you hand them their instrument?
Ken Kozora: Well, actually, I've worked with educators through the school systems and different things. So, for the most part, it's not me handing the instruments to kids. So, I don't necessarily have that exchange and that experience. However, I have received many letters from students over the years and stuff that show how much they they appreciate that. From the teachers' standpoint, they have all told me, of course, it changes their lives because everybody lot of people have a yearning to play music. And they're just not sure how or they don't know how to get started. There's a group that I work with in Ypsilanti, Educate Youth, run by Gail Wolkoff. She started a program just because these instruments were available.
Deb Polich: That's so cool! Ken, you and those people that you're connected with are kind and giving, and you're changing the lives of a lot of children. Thank you for your work! And thanks for being in the show!
Ken Kozora: Thank you for everything you do and for inviting me! I appreciate it!
Deb Polich: Absolutely! That's local Manchester musician Ken Kozora, who runs Horns for the Holidays, an instrument recycling program for local students. Find out more about Ken and how to donate your instruments at wemu.org. You've been listening to creative:impact. I'm Deb Polich, president and CEO of Creative Washtenaw and your host. Mat Hopson is our producer. Please join us every Tuesday to meet the people who make Washtenaw creative. This is 89 one WEMU FM, Ypsilanti. Public radio from Eastern Michigan University.
If you'd like to a guest on creative:impact, email Deb Polich at deb.polich@creativewashtenaw.org.
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