UMS Living Archive Interview: Paul Bianchi, Volunteer Usher

By UMS

When we launched the UMS Lobby last February, we set out to create a space that could capture our community’s response to what we experience at UMS.  With this post, we’re beginning a new journey into what we’re calling the “UMS Living Archive,” which will feature stories from patrons and others about the impact UMS has had in our community.  Over the summer, UMS staff members began to collect video interviews and turn them into the short vignettes you’ll see here.   We’re looking forward to the living archive growing over time and supplementing our historical archive.

This first interview features Paul Bianchi, an Ann Arbor community member who has been a volunteer usher at UMS (and other arts organizations in Ann Arbor) since 2008.  Paul talks about how volunteer ushering has been a very meaningful to him, especially since he’s recently been unemployed, giving him a great connection to the arts.  Paul talks about the importance of UMS to the jazz community now that the Bird of Paradise and other local jazz clubs have closed.  He also reminiscences about his very first Messiah experience.