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Gorgeous Sounds Residency The Vincas have helped to initiate a long term residency in the Columbia River Gorge area. A collaboration between Columbia Gorge Arts in Education, the quartet, local professional musicians, teachers, the public schools of the Gorge, the Gorge Music Series, and the community at large, Gorgeous Sounds strives to expand, enrich, and unify the classical music culture in the Columbia Gorge region. The project will increase participation and appreciation for classical music, nurture new audiences, and bring classical music to under-served rural populations via a combination of: 1) free community chamber concerts to inspire, expose and motivate 2) teaching in the schools in the form of small group classes, school 3) music teacher workshops designed to build a strong network of teachers, 4) ongoing local musical instruction for all interested; scholarship available based on need. As well, the quartet has a strong interest in integrating music education into the heart of the elementary school education. Music is the nexus for language, math, science, and achitecture, art and communication. We seek to provide children with the opportunities to practice life skills such as teamwork, discipline fueled by passion, communication, creativity, and analysis in the context of formal musical studies. Please see our mission statement for more information. Columbia Gorge Arts in Education website
Outreach The quartet seeks to inspire, empower and educate audiences of all ages. If you are interested in knowing more about our outreach programs, please contact the quartet at vincaquartet@gmail.com and we will be happy to send you more details. Adult Workshops: These interactive workshops share the “inner workings” of quartet playing. The Vincas explore teamwork and communication in comparison to sports teams and businesses, especially small start-up companies, and problem solving in the context of a quartet. They also discuss musical architecture, character, and interpretation of pieces from the quartet repertoire. Part open rehearsal, part question-answer, and all interactive discussion, these workshops are designed for intimate spaces such as a home or a library. Youth Events: These programs have been presented throughout the US with great response from students, parents, and teachers. Basic Elementary and Middle school presentation: The quartet introduces the basics of stringed instrument physics, shares methods of non-verbal communication within the quartet, and explores with children the emotions, textures, and imagery inspired by music through a combination of interactive games, story telling, and music. Ideally presented in a single classroom, but adaptable to full assembly. High School and College Level: The quartet provides master classes and coaching sessions with pre-formed groups, and is available to work with composers that have written for string quartet or would like to learn about writing for string instruments. The quartet is available for week-long residencies and shorter residencies across the country.
Concert Formats Perpetually interested in sharing the creative process of music-making, the Vinca Quartet enjoys more interaction between the audience and the quartet than is sometimes possible in a standard concert hall. They have presented concerts “in the round” with the audience on either the outside or the inside of the quartet circle. They have invited visual artists to create art in full view of the audience as a real-time response to the music played by the quartet, and they have, in the most intimate of spaces, structured a concert as a "quartet shuffle" in which the audience is asked to select the next piece to be played. The Vincas also enjoy pre-concert lectures and post-concert question-answer discussions.
"Everything they've done has been awesome"--Robin Cambareri, music teacher, Geneva NY (Finger Lakes Times). |
