Rob Levit
Living On The Edge Of Inspiration: Extraordinary Creativity For Everyday Living
Creativity is defined by individuals and communities being flexible and adaptable in thought and action while remaining true to core principles and spiritual connectivity. Individuals and societies fail because they are either too flexible and adaptable or too entrenched in core principles. Admittedly, a difficult path to travel between the two extremes. How does an individual/community tap into their creativity? What is at-stake if we lose sight of a creative society -- a creativity that is not just for artists? How does sharing one's gifts increase creativity?
I'll attempt to offer a few insights on this in five minutes.
About Rob Levit:
Rob Levit is a multi-directional artist. While principally known as a guitarist and leader of the Rob Levit Trio renowned for its jazz renditions and improvisations, he also paints, writes poetry and essays and is active in infusing creativity and leadership into schools, communities and the workplace.
He served for six-years as Artist-In-Residence at the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, the first musician selected to that position. He has given presentations for the Maryland Artist Teacher Institute, the Moss Foundation for Children's Education, Daimler-Chrysler, Northwestern Mutual, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, New Jersey Hospital Association, Leadership Anne Arundel and many others. He is currently the first Artist-In-Residence at the new Bates Arts Magnet School in Annapolis.
In July and August 2006, Levit served as a fellow for the APPEX program at UCLA's Center for Intercultural Performance where he lived, collaborated, and performed with creative artists from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Germany, and the United States. In September 2006, Levit was the recipient of the Annie Award for performing arts given annually to artists "who have made a lasting, significant and inspiring contribution to an art form, an arts organization, and to the wider community of Anne Arundel County." He is also a 2006 Capital-Gazette Leadership Anne Arundel Community Trustee recipient for community service.
In January 2007, he founded 2C (Creating Communities) to foster creativity and the arts for the underserved with a focus on elementary school children, hospital patients and adults with mental illness. Creating Communities received the Innovative Mentorship award for the Arts Mentorship Academy from the Volunteer Center of Anne Arundel County which served thirty-six youth with arts scholarships to its summer program.
He is a multiple-time recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award and one of 10 composers to receive the inaugural jazz composition commission from Chamber Music America in 2000. Levit is one of ten Baltimore region artists to receive the inaugural Baker Artist Award.
As an arts integration specialist Levit travels statewide working to harness the power of the arts as an integral learning vehicle in the classroom environment. He is on the roster of Maryland State Arts Council, Montgomery County Arts Council and Arts Council of Anne Arundel County.
In September 2008 Levit traveled to Los Angeles to perform in the opening concert of the World Festival of Sacred Music appearing with artist from Tibet, Angola, and Bali. Levit has also completed an acclaimed CD, Songs of Healing for Hospice of the Chesapeake designed to give comfort to patients, workers and family in hospice care.
