Community Performances: 2 Months In
Flautist Jenny Wang performs for Goddard House residents
Two months in.
Two senior centers.
Six unique community performances.
These past few weeks have been a delight for musicians and residents alike, where Continuo musicians have taken center stage at Goddard House and Community Centers of Brookline, performing music from Bach to Beethoven to Brahms to the Beach Boys.
Though everything culminates in one final performance, the whole shebang really kicks off one month earlier, where musicians work together to curate a program, sourcing from places like the internet (shout-out to IMSLP), tidbits heard on the radio, or personal ensemble experiences. After a few weeks of individual practicing, everyone meets up for 1-2 group rehearsals, where we bring our individual parts together and put on those finishing touches (and get those entrances right!).
Finally, we arrive at the performance date! Continuo performances stray from the traditional concert-hall setting, where musicians can't possibly be further removed from their audience. Rather, from the get go, Continuo musicians are interacting with the people in front of them. From sharing our stories and experiences with the music, to demonstrating a motif in a piece during the performance, to discussing with audience members after and learning their names and connections to music, we’re building lasting, deeply personal connections with our audience through what we love.
“When I could hear residents humming along to our Elvis finale, I knew that I was in the right place doing the right thing.”
For me, one performance is particularly memorable. This past month, for Valentine’s Day, a violinist, clarinetist, and I (pianist), created a themed program for Community Centers of Brookline, featuring pieces such as Salut d'Amour, Thaïs Meditation, and selections from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. It was easily the cheesiest performance I’ve ever done (we topped it off with an arrangement of Elvis’ Can’t Help Falling in Love!), yet I was actually able to connect with the pieces themselves and I could see how our playing was affecting the audience. When I could hear residents humming along to our Elvis finale, I knew that I was in the right place doing the right thing. Afterward, residents came up afterward, thanking us for the beautiful playing and for bringing back some of their own Valentines’ memories.
In the coming months, I am beyond excited to continue developing and performing fabulous programs with Continuo—as well cherishing the memories I create along the way.
