Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Conley.
Megan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started playing the harp when I was five years old. I went to a boarding school, Interlochen Arts Academy, for my senior of high school, attended Rice University in Houston for undergrad and grad, and won a Fulbright scholarship to study harp in Paris at the Ecole Normale de Musique. When I graduated with my music degrees there were no openings for orchestral harpists, so I moved to NYC with my then-boyfriend (now husband) Shawn. I babysat and worked for the census while paying my dues in the music scene. I played out-of-town gigs, driving hours, sometimes moving the harp in the snow, and working for incredibly low pay (one Christmas Eve gig earned me a whopping $75). I got some thrilling, only-in-NYC opportunities: performing at Carnegie Hall; for a Dolce & Gabbana masquerade; and with a group of ten harpists for a Saudi prince’s party at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Eventually, I started performing regularly with various ensembles, honing my skills, making a living, and feeling incredibly fulfilled. Then in 2014 I auditioned and won the job of Principal Harp with the Houston Symphony.
In 2017 my son was born, and I sustained an injury to my thumb that left me unable to play. Originally told that this injury would last a few months, it ended up taking over two years and a hand surgery before I was fully recovered. During this period time, I wasn’t sure it would ever heal, and I started thinking about what I would do if I couldn’t play the harp. I also started learning more about the climate crisis. I heard Greta Thunberg speak and was struck that a child was facing these alarming issues that should fall on the shoulders of adults. I read the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report, and began to understand how important it was for society to act quickly. And yet we weren’t. I started taking classes in fundraising, thinking I could shift to a career raising money for nonprofit causes.
Instead, my thumb healed and I returned to my post with the Houston Symphony. But at this point I wanted to do something about the climate crisis- our warming planet, water and air pollution, plastic filling our oceans. I continued reading and understanding how climate justice and racial justice are intertwined. I wanted to work toward a more just and equitable society for all.
The idea for Ocean Music Action sprang from a piece of music called Toward the Sea by Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. The piece was commissioned by the Save the Whales campaign, which was ultimately successful in achieving a worldwide ban on commercial whaling. Takemitsu’s music is beautiful and evocative, each movement representing a different element of the ocean. I had the idea of performing this piece to inspire the audience and awaken a sense of connection to the ocean and to the planet. But instead of simply playing a concert, we would organize a beach cleanup to go along with the concert, so the musicians and audience could work together toward cleaner oceans for all.
This idea won a small grant from The Knights chamber orchestra (of which I am a member). I realized it could be more than one concert- we could present many concerts and volunteer activities, inspiring people through the beauty of music and engaging them in fulfilling, hands-on activities. We could present water-themed education concerts for children as well. Thus Ocean Music Action was born.
We became a full-fledge 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2021, and in April 2022, on Earth Day, we presented our first public performance for a sold-out crowd at the Rothko Chapel in Houston. We organized a volunteer cleanup of Buffalo Bayou the following day, as well as a second concert at Rice University and a lecture at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Our first education concert, at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center in May 2022, included a program of music inspired by the water, an arts craft, water pollution activity, and pond-dipping. We now have plans for several more concerts and volunteer activities in the coming season. In order to devote myself to this new project I have resigned from my post with the Houston Symphony.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Figuring out how to respond to the climate crisis is a journey. I’m still on that road. It’s such a massive, complex problem, it’s easy to feel scared or helpless. But these feelings can lead to inertia when what we need is action! We can feel the sadness and bewilderment but then transition to problem-solving, thinking creatively, feeling motivated and hopeful. With any big job we can fret about how much there is to do, or we can dig in and get to work. I choose the latter approach. There is plenty of reason to be hopeful but we can’t expect the problems to go away, and it’s foolish to expect a technological silver bullet. We all have unique abilities and a sphere of influence that we can use to help shift the culture to one that exists in harmony with our planet. We can demand policies that promote a healthier, more equitable society for everyone.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
By trade, I am a professional musician, specifically a harpist. I am probably most known for my position as Principal Harp of the Houston Symphony, but I have resigned from this position. I hope to be known as a musician who is also a climate activist, using art to promote positive changes in our society! I am proud that I’m taking a risk. I gave up a tenured position that I could have held for decades in order to follow my heart. I don’t know how things will go but no matter what I’ll know I tried. I have always felt connected to nature. I’ve always loved music. I feel like I have the potential to combine these two loves in a meaningful and impactful way. If it doesn’t work, I’ll try something else!
I think one thing that sets me apart is that I have incredible support. My husband Shawn, my parents, my in-laws, my neighbors and friends (including the incredible women on my Ocean Music Action board), give me invaluable input, advice, and encouragement every step of the way. I am lifted up by this community and I’m incredibly grateful.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Almost every summer I would go to a music camp, and my mom would come with me. I’m the middle child and so one-on-one time with my mom was special. One time we went from Austin to Chicago for a Suzuki convention (Suzuki is a method of learning music by ear) and traveled by Amtrak train. I remember this being such a fun adventure, watching the scenery go by, eating in the dining car, and sleeping in our bunk beds in the sleeper car. When we got to Chicago we stayed at a nice hotel. There were two fluffy white robes in the bathroom which seemed so fancy. I remember giggling and my mom telling me stories and just having a blast. We explored the city together (it was windy!), I performed for the conference, and we took the train home. I loved these special trips with my mom, and she remains my biggest fan and supporter to this day.
Contact Info:
- Website: Oceanmusicaction.org
- Instagram: Oceanmusicaction
- Facebook: Facebook.com/oceanmusicaction
Image Credits
Kelli Hull (photos by pool)
Anthony Rathbun (indoor kids concert and pond dipping)
Rothko Chapel/Scott Dalton (photos at Rothko Chapel)
