Miriam Pico Younce plays Old Art Building
Photo by Tom Kachadurian. Courtesy of Old Art Building.
From staff reports
The Old Art Building in Leland will host acoustic songwriter and singer Miriam Pico Younce and her husband Ryan Younce on Thursday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m. for a free evening of positive, inter-generational music. This family-friendly performance includes some cover tunes along with an array of Miriam’s originals. We caught up with Miriam to ask about this concert, about her inspiration and muse, about the various artistic mediums she marries in her work, and about her perfect northern Michigan summer day.
Glen Arbor Sun: Tell us about the upcoming performance at the Old Art Building in Leland. What are you excited about for this concert?
Miriam Younce: The Old Art Building has become very special to me through the years. I have loved performing on its stage as well as bringing my “Mindful and Musical” classes to this beautiful venue. I have met so many thoughtful, creative people at the OAB and I am always honored to have the opportunity to perform there!
For Thursday’s concert, I will sing and play the guitar and ukulele. My husband, Ryan Younce, will be joining me on lead guitar, which is very exciting for me! He is incredibly talented and such a genuinely kind person… I feel lucky whenever our schedules allow us to make music together!
Sun: What is your inspiration and muse these days? Anything special you are working on this summer?
Younce: I have been writing a lot of new songs and I will be sharing some of them at the Old Art Building concert! What has inspired me the most in the past few years has been observing how people are navigating these challenging times. Sitting with my own grief and difficult feelings instead of running away from them has taught me a lot too, and it shows up in my art. I am finding myself falling deeper in love with songwriting and with life and with everyone in it.
My children are my biggest muses and inspirations, and this summer has been about being fully present and enjoying as much quality time with them as possible.
Sun: You marry many different mediums in your work: singing, bowls, etc. Tell us about those collaborations.
Younce: Through my “Mindful and Musical” classes, I get to teach young children and families about things like feelings, love & kindness to ourselves and others. We sing as well as doing instrument exploration, mindfulness, storytime and movement.
I also get to sing with elderly residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities through Mary Sue Wilkinson’s program “Singing Heart to Heart”. So, in my teaching and in my singalongs, Tibetan singing bowls, gongs, chimes and different instruments from around the world are always a hit, no matter what age you are!! We use them in between songs for meditation, for moments of gratitude, for resting and checking in with our minds/hearts/bodies, and also just for the fun of hearing the different tones and feeling the vibrations coming off of the instruments.
Sun: Who are your inspirations, both locally and globally?
Younce: The people that really move and inspire me are people who are not afraid to be vulnerable. Putting themselves out there and creating something NEW. Using art to unite people, to help others suffer less … to help people not feel so alone. This is important work. Whether it is in a song, book, visual art, dance, film, or even just the art of having a real, deep, authentic conversation. That is what really interests me!
So, to everyone who is doing that locally or globally, I want to say THANK YOU and what you do really matters!!!!!
Sun: Describe your perfect northern Michigan summer day.
Younce: I would start with drinking a cup of coffee with my husband: My two favorites from around here are Funky Mamacita from Higher Grounds, and Snickercookie from Leelanau Coffee Roasting Co!
Then yoga, meditation and a walk in the woods. I also love mornings full of snuggling with my kids, making them pancakes, eating outside so we can watch the busy birds and squirrels in the yard, and hearing all about the dreams my kids had the night before. Then heading to the beach for a picnic and paddleboarding, hearing my family all laughing and playing together. Later in the day we would meet up with our family friends to play games, catch up and eat good food. Ending the night with a beach bonfire at sunset sounds pretty much perfect to me!!
