Photo by Growth + Co. on Unsplash
What happens when a world-class conductor, a brewmaster, and a passion for music education collide? You get MetroNOME Brewery—a craft beer haven with a mission to fund music education and provide instruments for youth. Join me as I chat with co-founder Bill Eddins about how this St. Paul brewery is “playing it forward, one pint at a time.”
Guest
My guest today is a local! Based here in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis & St. Paul, William Eddins is the Music Director Emeritus of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and a frequent guest conductor of major orchestras throughout the world. He was an associate conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra in the ’90s and is an accomplished pianist. During the summer of 2020’s pandemic and public unrest (particularly here in Minneapolis), Bill co-founded a socially missioned brewery with the goal of raising money for music education and instruments for metro youth. This brewery, in downtown St. Paul, is called MetroNOME Brewery, with the NOME being an acronym for Nurturing Outstanding Music Education.
Notes
We discuss:
- Bill strongly believe “that education in general, and music education in particular, is the gateway to a better, more fulfilling life,” and he wants to ensure that any child who loves music is able to play.
- How Bill and Matt Engstrom came to start MetroNOME, and how the brewery funds music instruments and education for youth.
- The organizations MetroNOME partners with.
- The MetroNOME Foundation.
- The music background of MetroNOME’s other key players, including Brewmaster Kevin Welch and Co-Founder Matt Engstrom.
- The beer! Beer names are musically themed (eg, “Coal” Cole Porter; Sound Czech Pilsner). I loved the Enigma double brown (a nod to Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations).
- MetroNOME’s beer is available other places, too.
- Ways to support their mission: Visit; purchase MetroNOME beer at other venues; request their beer at your favorite retail store or restaurant; donate to the MetroNOME Foundation.
Connect/Other Resources
Other episodes we mentioned or that you may enjoy:
- Ep. 183: Amplified Potential – Revaluing Music in Education and Society; with Frank Fitzpatrick
- Ep. 177: Serenading Plants and Grooving with Groceries – Discover how music can transform the way we grow, eat, and compost food… and more sustainably feed the world; with Pavle Marinkovic
- Ep. 180: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness – Renee Fleming’s comprehensive interdisciplinary anthology
- Ep. 3: Music Reduces Urban Poverty (BIIG MIIC & Urban Ventures)
- View all episodes related to Education & Community
In-Episode Promo
SHEET MUSIC DIRECT: One of my favorite places to turn for instant gratification and a dopamine hit is browsing digital sheet music at SheetMusicDirect.com. This online store is powered by music publisher Hal Leonard, and it has over a million arrangements that you can view, listen to, and download. No need to buy an entire book for that one song you love. Create your own library from selections representing all levels, instruments, genres, and holidays. Prices start at $0.99 and you can both print your purchases and access them on any device, which is really handy for those of us who travel or are trying to go paperless.
I would say this is my guilty pleasure, but it’s actually a guilt-free pleasure. There are so many brain benefits to reading music, making music, and experiencing NEW music. Instead of subscribing to another streaming platform, subscribe to Sheet Music Direct to treat yourself and your kids to real brain food and a guilt-free pleasure. Access the latest hits and yesterday’s classics at sheetmusicdirect.com.
Coda
Bill shares his connection with the country and people of South Africa.
Closing Words
Thank you so much to Bill for sharing that story, for joining us today, and for all he and his co-founder Matt Engstrom do to enhance lives with music in this innovative – and fun and delicious – way. I’ll put pictures in the show notes from my evening at MetroNOME with my friend Julie. We got to meet Matt – he’s in the pictures, and also a screen shot of my call with Bill.
I LOVE the short video on the MetroNOME website called HEAR WHAT BEER CAN DO! If you want to smile for about 2-minutes, I recommend checking it out to hear Bill and Matt’s description of MetroNOME. Just go to their home page and scroll down to the video. While you’re there you can view upcoming Events, support the MetroNOME Foundation with a year-end gift, and join their email list to stay informed.
Whether you are in the Twin Cities area or not, I hope this conversation inspires you to use your hobby as a way to build community and make the world a better place. If you find a way to do this, I would love to hear about it.
You can always connect with me on email (mindy@mpetersonmusic.com), Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
Thank you so much for joining me today. Until next time, may your life be enhanced with music.
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