Sgt. Jim Quackenbush has a number of prominent tattoos, which is probably unusual for a police officer. Even more unusual is what those tattoos are: he proudly wears composer Frederic Chopin on one forearm and Ludwig van Beethoven on the other.
A second generation public servant, Jim is also a highly trained classical pianist. He has performed as a Guest Artist at two of BRAVO’s programs, and he’s helping to organize a joint performance with BRAVO students at two events in the spring of 2017, sponsored by the Portland Police Bureau.
Sgt. Jim recently presented personal testimony in support of BRAVO at a City Hall hearing. Here’s what Jim had to say about the importance of BRAVO’s programs:
When we give a child a violin, we give them the ability to answer their own questions, plot their own course, and forge their own character. Bravo Youth Orchestras provides this gift to hundreds of our kids who would never have these options otherwise.
Read Jim’s full testimony below. Sgt. Jim – we appreciate your advocacy, your enthusiasm, and your music, and we look forward to performing with you this spring!
Testimony presented at Portland City Hall – Oct 31, 2016
Good afternoon. My name is Jim Quackenbush.
I’m a second-generation public servant; my father retired from the Kent Police Department as a Sergeant after 35 years of service. My mother’s side of the family is full of talented musicians, and I’ve studied classical piano since I was 8 years old. Music always gave me a sense of purpose and direction. It helped me to reflect, to interpret the signals, and to develop a strong center of individuality. With the passion of music, we are gifted a powerful sense of vision.
I also knew that most professional artists struggle to make a decent living wage. So when it came time for career choice, and college, I was torn. Should I continue to study what I love? My father’s sage words were, “Study whatever you want. You can always be a cop. And for god’s sake don’t major in criminal justice.”
It turns out that my dad was making a much more brilliant statement than he probably realized at the time. It is important to learn the nuts and bolts: mathematical equations, sentence structure, reading comprehension. But the arts are where it all comes together. They spur our highest levels of thinking. They challenge us in ways that we can’t even begin to articulate. They inspire us and give us something to believe in. They give us the answer to “why?”
I could go on about how an education in the arts has benefited me beyond measure (police work is, after all, much more art than science), but I’m more concerned about the development of our future leaders, and it is unquestionable that the survival of our nation depends on this more than ever. Technical prowess is commendable, but it’s not enough. You need “heart”. What Bravo Youth Orchestras is truly providing to our kids in North Portland is leadership training. How do I deal with ambiguity? What about situations where there are many “right” answers? How do I make many parts come together and strengthen the whole? How do I both follow the conductor, and honor my individuality? These are the paradoxes both in music, and in life. Mr. Truby and Bravo are empowering our children – who need it the most – to learn them.
In closing, I’d like to quote from a passage in the classic “On Becoming A Leader” by Warren Bennis: “Life has never been simple and is growing more complex all the time, yet we persist in attempting to reduce it to bumper-sticker dimensions. The advocates of simplicity see reality as mechanical, static, segmented, and rational, when it is, in fact, organic, dynamic, whole and ambiguous. They see relationships as linear, sequential and serial, discrete, singular and independent, when they are, in fact, parallel and simultaneous, connected, murky, multiple and interdependent. They are determinists, believers in cause-and-effect, when, in fact, probability is the rule and the inevitable hardly ever happens.”
The compass to help us navigate this treacherous path is Art. When we give a child a violin, we give them the ability to answer their own questions, plot their own course, and forge their own character. Bravo Youth Orchestras provides this gift to hundreds of our kids who would never have these options otherwise. I am eternally grateful for the opportunities that I received as a son of privilege with my music education. Let’s continue to support our youth who need it the most, and then enjoy their success as they achieve their fullest potential.
Sorry, comments are closed for this post.