Muffin Meetings - LoSoCo Origin Story

Who would have ever thought a meeting with sweet delicious banana chocolate chip muffins would be the start of a bad ass music nonprofit right here in Rochester, NY. Musicians coming together, sitting around a dining room table, eating (of course), and talking about how we could help an arts scene we all cared so deeply about. 

Let me rewind for those of you who might not know what the Local Sound Collaborative is about and how it got started. 

It’s April of 2022 in Rochester, NY. We have organized a gathering of musicians and music industry folks to come together and talk about the local music scene. These individuals are artists, but they are also venue owners, booking agents, music therapists, social workers, community advocates, and youth educators. And we sat down with one question on our agenda. 

How can we sustain and grow the local music community here in Rochester? 

As active musicians in the area for the last several years, most artists have experienced similar struggles. It’s extremely difficult to make a living wage off of weekend gigs. For most things like obtaining adequate health insurance is near impossible, and paid time off/sick days do not exist. And the reality is there is a stigma and misconception surrounding the pursuit of music. You want to start a band? You want to go on tour? You plan to make a record? Well most likely it means you won’t make a lot of money, you’ll live in your parent’s basement, or you’ll work three different side jobs to make ends meet… 

Featured board member: Geoff Dale

It’s the idea of the struggling artist! But the real idea behind this meeting was what if artists don’t have to starve? 

Because let’s not downplay that amidst all of the challenges, the amount of powerful, life-changing stories that musicians have either experienced or even facilitated outweigh the negative. We have seen the wedding couple dance to their first song and weep in each other’s arms. Music made that possible. We have seen kids who can’t succeed in class find comfort in an instrument. Music made that possible. We have seen folks who struggle with mental illness tell crowds of people that their ability to perform saved their lives. Music made that possible. 

Music has the power to create change and impact in our society. To heal those who have suffered, and connect those who are different from one another. When you hear these stories, you know it to be undoubtedly true that independent artistry is something worth not only protecting and advocating for, but investing in for many generations to come. So how best can we do this?

Featured board member: Zahyia Rolle

The First Meeting

On that day in April we sat down to tackle these questions. A small group of us from different backgrounds and experiences who believed with our whole hearts that the local music scene in Rochester is special. We talked about more than just the individual struggle of being an independent musician. There were community challenges much bigger than any of us, with potential solutions we did not pretend to have. How do we make our music community less segregated? Why does miscommunication between bands and venue owners happen? How do we create more representation for marginalized folks to perform on our stages? What sources of resources do musicians actually need and want in order to advance their careers? 

We talked for a long time. That small microcosm of Rochester brought forth different opinions and ideas. We supported each other, but there was also a good amount of disagreement because that’s how complex these issues are. That conflict was healthy, and I think most of us believed it was pointing our feet in the right direction. And while we talked we did what most do at nonprofit meetings: we ate homemade muffins. They were banana chocolate chip. How else do we foster big ideas if food is not included?! 

LoSoCo is born!

From that day we knew a movement could grow from what we discussed. So we had more meetings, with more individuals and artists in our city. And that’s how the Local Sound Collaborative began. No grandiose ideas or big shot business plans. This collaborative is founded on the idea that connecting with others and building community can create positive change. 

We believe music can change the world. We know local music is an essential piece of our community well being. We intend to connect these musicians, highlight their craft, and reinvest the impact music can have for our world. 

And we will probably eat a muffin or two along the way. 

Ray Mahar

Collaborative Director

ray@thelocalsoundcollaborative.org