There are an estimated 200 million African descendants across 19 Latin American countries, whose collective cultural identity is known and celebrated as Afrolatinidad. Join Michele Reid-Vazquez, a vocalist, and Caribbean and Latin American studies scholar at Bowdoin College as she explores the historical, cultural, and personal significance of Afrolatinidad through Afro-Cuban music—particularly Afro-Cuban jazz—and its impact … Read more
History has always had a tendency to narrow its gaze, and classical music is no exception. Bach, now considered one of the greatest composers, was passed over repeatedly in his lifetime for positions given to composers whose names we barely remember today. Amy Beach set aside her career at her husband’s request, her voice constrained … Read more
In the age of the internet, social media, and AI, what keeps classical music relevant and engaging for audiences? How do young artists like Sophia Liu synthesize a centuries-old musical and cultural tradition with modern life? Our pre-concert talk with pianist and scholar Danny Holt introduces the audience to this extraordinary young talent, while exploring … Read more
Guest speakers Ed Pearlman and Laura Scott have worked professionally as performers, organizers, and journalists with most of the “All-Stars”—some of the top Scottish, Irish, and Canadian performers working today. In this lively pre-performance talk, we will learn more about the artists on the evening’s program, exploring their history and virtuosity with fiddle, bagpipes, banjo, Gaelic song, and traditional … Read more
The 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan marked a bloody end to the British Raj, displacing nearly 15 million people and fundamentally reshaping musical cultures of South Asia and its diasporas. Join ethnomusicologist Dr. Aruna Kharod to explore how cultural legacies of Partition and South Asian musical features inspire the border- and genre-defying aesthetics of Sunny Jain’s Wild … Read more
Join us for a pre-performance conversation on Afro-Diasporic movement practices! Featuring a panel of local artists and practitioners, alongside company members of Rennie Harris Puremovement, we will explore how Hip-Hop, Afrobeats, Vogue, House, Drag, and more are in conversation with each other. From their historical roots to contemporary practice, these very different styles remain influenced … Read more
The music of DakhaBrakha is not only pulsing, beautiful, and rich in ghostly reminiscence, it also invites a deep wake-up call. Join Grammy Award-winning recording artist and composer Eugene Friesen as he sifts through the alluring folk-rock sound of the quartet to uncover the edgy, challenging cultural message beneath. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18 5:30 – 6:30 … Read more
This pre-performance lecture traces gospel music’s roots to embarking upon a journey from African American spirituals, hymnody, and choirs of the Black church experience, along with the profound influence on R&B, soul, rock, and hip-hop. Gospel music is not a genre of song, but a powerful testimony of the global pursuit for liberty and justice … Read more
Under the surface of the virtuoso technique required by Debussy’s Études, they also demand a kind of virtuosity in interpretation to get to the heart of Debussy’s insistence on the intrinsic relationship between beauty and mystery. This talk will be a process of discovery and an experiment in interpretive listening as we unpack Debussy’s last major work for … Read more
A century ago, chamber music concerts were rare in America. Orchestras and solo recitalists dominated the classical music stages. What changed? Popular lecturer, author, and musician, Dr. Thomas Wolf, traces the developments, institutions, and star musicians who popularized this extraordinary form of music, discussing the role played by Espressivo’s performers and the importance of the works … Read more