Last Saturday, The Aeolian’s new Rebelheart Collective Chamber Ensemble gave a stunning concert featuring works from Ravel to Richardson. The Aeolian’s Rebelheart Collective was formed through the collaborative partnership of Scott St. John violinist and the Aeolian’s Artistic Director Clark Bryan. Its mission is to change the experience of classical music making it accessible to everyone including new audiences by offering fifty percent of its tickets free.
The conductor less ensemble paired up with Pride Men’s Chorus London and the El Sistema Aeolian’s senior choir performing Caccini’s Dona Nobis Pacem and Linda Perry’s Beautiful.
A brand-new work by Joshua Richardson, a graduate student at Western’s Faculty Music was debuted to a standing ovation.
The concert was dedicated to El Sistema participants in Venezuela who are risking their lives performing in protests throughout their country.One of the participants has been shot and killed by government forces and another had their violin taken by police, broken and given back in pieces.El Sistema began in Venezuela over 40 years ago and has spread to 87 countries.This intensive and completely free music initiative holds the tension between social and musical goals, leveling the playing ground between those who get access to high quality music education and those who don’t.
Rebelheart Collective’s 2017-2018 season will be announced shortly. Stay tuned!
