Emotional Intelligence
In researching this approach, I found a number of disparate sources that provided guidance, precedent, and perspective but it was a matter of finding readings in unusually wide-spread places and authors. Here are just some of them:

• "Theory & Contradiction": notes on conduction by composer Butch Morris as found in the booklet in the boxed set of his recordings.
• Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and thee Language of Human Experience by best-selling author, Brené Brown.
• Comparing notes: how we make sense of music by Adam Ockelford.
• InsightOut: Get Ideas Out of Your Head and Into the World by neuroscientist Tina Seelig.
• The Weapons of Rhetoric: a guide for musicians and audiences​ by Judy Tarling.
• "Six Healing Sounds" from the T'ai Chi Chih Joy Thru Movement by author Justin Stones and shared with me by Minnesota singer/conductor/movement coach Linda Zelig. 

And let's not forget wikipedia and all of it's benefits and shortcomings! I found the definition of emotional intelligence on wikipedia.
I quoted the language in my dear friend's press release about the event a number of times: 

The premise of the entire concert was based on the unqualified primacy of emotion as central to the experience of every audience member. But that feeling you have when you hear that thing that made you feel something is absolutely unique, powerful and personal. No one can discount or criticize or judge your feelings. And comparing your feelings is a little like calibrating two people's reactions to one another; seeing if it's possible to see the same color of green. Impossible, in my opinion. 

Listening

For the FunnyMeanHappySad show, I've had to walk the lines between composer, performer, and performer. For the most part, the composer's work is done. This is the producer's time...the final preparations. Our first rehearsal was today (Wednesday, February 23).
The composer is elated, giddy, slap happy, proud, afraid.
The producer is excited, cautiously optimistic, apprehensive, guarded, afraid.
The performer is expectant because he hasn't had a chance to play with the other members of the ensemble yet. He is afraid.

Here's a combinations of the composer's and producer's perspective on today's work.
1. Mexico-Bolivar Tango: the extent that the musicians EXAGGERATE will determine the funny. They are really tasty players (Tom is a previously-unknown peach) but at first they erred on the tasteful side of things. The composer is insistent that they embarrass us with their exaggerations of accents, dynamics, articulations, silences, etc. After about an hour, they were playing it the way the composer likes it. Happy.

2. Audio recording: The producer has contracted with TJ ("Max") who was contracted for a previous show he produced for the Norway House/Greig/LEIF concert during the early stages of the pandemic. The producer is very, very pleased TJ has joined the merry band of FunnyMeanHappySad pirates.

3. Chamber music (for these…): Both the composer and producer recognize that this piece is the most difficult to perform and the most "out there" piece on the program. They both realize that it represents the spirit of adventure that is needed on this program. The players each inhabited the Out There quality of the piece. And it  balances the program that we really needed; otherwise every thing else might be considered a “light” program. The producer says the piece is still an early, ROUGH stage but he's confident that we will get there. He is an intrepid producer of this foolish composer’s music. It will be good in the end. Hopeful.

4. As producer, the Walden Etude “Perpetual Motion” has been eliminated from the program. It ultimately did not fit although having a young person come up from the audience to make a surprise appearance would have been fun. Unfortunately, it was not Funny and that is the requirement for this program. You know what I’m talking about. Sad, sort of.

5. The emoticard is in design mode right now. The producer is pleased but withholding final judgment. The composer is thrilled about the look and feel. The miniature golf pencils are cute and come with little bitty erasers. Key-yute. 

6. Producers use to-do lists. Composers do not know what a to-do list is.

So the "opening window" is Thomas Bandar sent from God, herself. He is new to the Twin Cities where he has invigorated the Lutheran Summer Music program, a summer camp for talented young Lutheran musicians.
I was inspired decades ago when I visited my wife at LSM at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD where she was teaching oboe. What I witnessed inspired a piece that I suggested to Garrison Keillor. We ended up collaborating on The Young Lutheran’s Guide to the Orchestra.
Anyway, Thomas is a chronic and excellent violist and has agreed to jump in with both feet to join us in the program.