Our Mission
We envision a world in which neighbors work and play together towards making their communities better. We are inspired to direct our knowledge and skills as musicians towards this goal. Through sustained, joyful musical encounters, we believe that people can experience neighborly goodwill and a deeper sense of community.
LEadership
Under the direction of Co-founder James Waldo, Listen Closely is creating opportunities for local musicians to sustainably and impactfully share their gifts with their neighbors in the Dane County Area. Stay tuned here as the team builds and new initiatives are launched!
James Waldo
Cello | Co-Founder, Owner
Concert Cellist James Waldo’s “nuanced, richly ambered” playing (Lucid Culture NYC) can be heard in diverse chamber music, solo, and recital settings. Waldo has performed at such notable venues as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Hall, and Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center, Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC, the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival in Western NC, Midsummer’s Music in Door County, WI, LunArt Festival in Madison, WI, and the Clazz International Festival in Tuscany, Italy. For the 2024-25 season, Waldo will returns to Magisterra Soloists in London, Ontario for three concerts through the 2024-25 season, where he will perform chamber music and works for solo cello. Equally comfortable on modern and period instruments, Waldo is principal cellist of the Madison Bach Musicians, and is a founding member of LeStrange Viols. As a recitalist, Waldo and his pianist spouse Alyona A. Waldo have performed at numerous festivals and series together across North America, Europe, and Asia as the A.W.Duo. Waldo has served as principal cellist of the Cecilia Chorus of NY for semi-annual concerts in Carnegie Hall, and has performed with the New Jersey Festival Orchestra, the Princeton Symphony, the New York Pops, the Madison Symphony Orchestra, and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Waldo directs the Grace Presents concert series on the Capitol Square in Madison, WI, featuring free, eclectic monthly concerts by immerging and established local musicians.
Waldo received his Doctor of Musical Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and his Master of Music degree from Mannes College. Waldo is a champion of new music, and has served yearly as a co-commissioner for the Cello Teaching Repertoire Consortium since 2022. His playing will be featured in a forthcoming album of composer Laura Elise Schwendinger's chamber music. Waldo currently serves as Lecturer of Cello at the Mead Witter School of Music.
Our History
Once upon a time in uptown Manhattan, a musician walked into a local pharmacy, seeking support from the owner for an upcoming concert at a nearby church. The conversation took an unexpected twist when the owner said, "Why don't you play here?" With over 50 free and low-cost concerts at local businesses and indoor/outdoor public spaces, featuring performances by locally-based musicians, Listen Closely co-founders James Waldo and Rose Hashimoto considered the mission a resounding success. After Rose relocated to Seattle, WA and James to Madison, WI, the project went on a hiatus.
Co-founder James Waldo is now re-launching Listen Closely in Madison/Dane County, Wisconsin. A number of exciting partnerships are already in the works, with more on the way…
Support the Mission
Help us to sustain a robust musical presence in the places where we live as we fulfill our mission to strengthen the culture and practice of community.
