Getting to Know the Morgan's Membership and Office Asssistant Mikayla Sweet

My name is Mikayla Sweet and I am a musician and arts advocate originally from Oklahoma City. I completed my Master of Music in Performance degree at Texas Tech University and my Bachelor of Music in Performance degree with a Certificate in Nonprofit Arts Administration at Oklahoma City University. Outside of the Morgan, I work as a freelance trumpet performer and teacher in the Cleveland area. My most recent appearances have been with the Cleveland Women’s Orchestra, Cleveland Repertory Orchestra, and Carnation City Players. I also serve as the Events Coordinator/Chair on the Emerging Professionals Committee of the International Trumpet Guild and am committed to the connection of aspiring and current members of the trumpet community. 

I am the Membership and Office Assistant at the Morgan. A large part of my role involves maintaining our membership and donor database. I am excited to continue to meet the members of the community surrounding the Morgan and for future collaborations with my colleagues. Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful as I have transitioned into this role. 

Before joining the team at the Morgan, I did not quite understand the vastness of the paper arts. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting our artists and studying the pieces in our rotating gallery. When it came to my own creations, I immediately felt a pull towards paper marbling. This must come from a place of nostalgia, as it reminded me of splatter painting in my elementary school art class. I love being able to create patterns and then immediately transfer them to paper. I suspect that there is a lot of paper marbling and time spent exploring the paper arts in my future. Luckily I work with some of the best artists every day!

I have absolutely loved my time in Cleveland since moving here from Texas. A major highlight has been attending The Cleveland Orchestra concerts at Blossom Music Center in the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It’s the perfect blend of two of my favorite things, nature and orchestral music. Back in August, I got to listen to the orchestra perform one of my favorite pieces, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, in the middle of a rainstorm. It was the perfect setting to experience this monumental work. I’m looking forward to returning for more concerts in the summer. For now, I am navigating my first Cleveland winter and enjoying my cozier hobbies, reading, knitting, and puzzling.