Quetave Quartet at La Sala in Questa
Dancers, Poetry, and Reflection - a Hybrid Concert
|
|
Collaborators at La Sala and the Questa Chamber Music Series have been cooking up virtual / online ways to bring you live music experiences in the wake of our changed world where no large gatherings are permitted, so we cannot have our usual public concert this fall. Nevertheless, the Quetave Quartet: Andrea Gore (viola and violin), Rebecca Caron (cello), Suzie Schwartz (violin and viola), and Martha Shepp (piano), WILL perform in a hybrid format. We’re very excited to present this to you!
The notion of essential work and essential workers that has been defined in government health orders during the pandemic leaves out the healing and natural uplifting elixir qualities of the arts. The direct experience of art, creativity, and imagination in times when most activities are virtual and individualized is truly essential. Puppet Theatre los Titiriteros says, “we believe in the necessity of finding new ways to reach out, to be active, inspire…” and we too want to encourage reflection, grieving for what is lost, and re-creating through creative response, in a beautiful setting. (Your caring practice of your own emotional health is a good way to take care of others, too.)
For this hybrid presentation, we will provide around 10 socially distanced seats out in La Sala’s garden, in the shade. From there, through open windows, you can experience the concert: it can be easily heard and enjoyed, even seen, somewhat! You’ll experience
- four pieces of live music (Mendelssoh, Mahler, Fauré, and Leclair)
- a dance interpretation of the Mahler from La Sala
ballet teacher Tuesday Faust and dance friend Amber Vasquez
- poetic interludes between pieces, and
- an optional exercise for exploring and reflecting. You can bring your own meditative tools (journal, writing or drawing implements) and we will provide a series of mindfulness inquiries pertaining to each of the four live musical pieces being presented at the concert.
Tea will be provided too.
A video recording will be made of this concert and it will appear on YouTube. Contact Martha to be put on the waiting list for Friday Sept. 18 at 11 am. All seats have been sold as of this publishing! (575) 776-7579. Requested donation: $22 adults, to benefit the ongoing health & healing missions of both La Sala and the Music Series.
|
|
You’re Invited to Be an Artist
for This Year’s NeoRio!
|
|
Since 2009, NeoRio has been a venue for innovative art, experimental thinking, education, and exchange. It has been a public gathering and celebration. NeoRio 2020 must respect the current, heightened safety measures while at the same time creatively respond to these extraordinary times. Affirming that we each have a unique experience of the world and something valuable to express, EVERYONE is invited to create and reflect upon the theme of home during the global pandemic. This year we’re inviting you to be the artists for NeoRio 2020…from your home! Will you be one of the participating artists?
Pondering home
What does home mean to you? Think inside and outside the box! Approach the theme of home with the broadest perspective: body as home, garden as home, kitchen as home, family as home, traditions as home, Earth as home, home during the pandemic, home as refuge, safety, confinement….?
Starting point: the box
All participants will be provided with the same starting point: a 7 x 7 x 7” wooden box, specially made for this year’s NeoRio project. Think of the cube as a raw material to work with; to be added to, subtracted from, or modified in any way you like. The cube could be carved, collaged, painted, drawn or written on, covered, attached to, drilled, inlaid, quilted, or…..destroyed? (Just document the process!) Take the cube and the theme of home and follow wherever they lead you.
How to get your box
- Questa Visitor Center: open Wednesday - Sunday, 10 am - 3 pm through September 13. After that, cubes will be available for pick-up on Thursdays, 10 am - 3 pm.
- Taos Public Library: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8:30 am - 4 pm.
- For those who live further away or picking up a cube is prohibitive, we can mail one to you.
Short audio reflection
Reflection helps us to make sense of and glean meaning from challenging times. Sharing stories connects us with one another and is an opportunity to be vulnerable and courageous. Current circumstances show us more than ever that connection adds purpose to life. There is power in oral tradition; hearing a person’s story in his or her own voice deepens its significance and impact. With this in mind, we again invite you to reflect on the expansive theme of home and express yourself in a brief audio story. (A smartphone can be used to record your story or we are happy to record it for you over the phone.)
Exhibition and archive
We foresee a poignant outcome with the combination of unique cube artworks and audio stories. These will be shown in the online exhibition, “Home: Thinking Inside and Outside the Box” which will go live October 8.
Friday, September 26 is the deadline for us to receive digital documentation (artwork and story) for participation in the virtual art show. Find full guidelines on how to participate HERE. On October 9 and 10, we kick off a dynamic series of NeoRio 2020: Home interactive, community roundtables on Zoom, during which artworks and stories will be shared. All are invited!
We welcome the continued submission of home cube artworks and stories throughout the fall. These will be included in the NeoRio 2020: Home archive. The online home story-sharing events and archive is a collaboration with Questa Stories ~ Community Memory Project.
Helping others participate
Are you a teacher? Do you know people who might want to make a cube artwork and submit a story? We would love your help involving others in this project!
Summary: how to participate
- Pick up your cube at the Questa VC
- Create a home cube artwork
- Take photos of your creation
- Record a short audio story
- Email them to emailforleap@gmail.com
NeoRio is free and open to all; donations are appreciated. NeoRio is made possible by individual donations, local business and media sponsorships as well as grant support. This project is supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts and Taos Community Foundation with additional sponsorships from Questa economic Development Fund, Questa del Rio Colorado News, Questa Visitor Center, Taos Public Library Zia Event Design, North Star Toys, Questa Lumber and Hardware, and generous individual donors and volunteers.
Questions?
Contact Claire: emailforleap@gmail.com (575) 224-9066 (call/text); more info at Leapsite.org
|
|
P R O J E C T U P D A T E S
|
|
|
Questa History Trail
Ribbon-Cutting and Celebration
|
|
|
Before the pandemic hit, we were looking at Labor Day for our official ribbon-cutting of the completed route, but the pandemic situation is still preventing public gatherings of more than 10 persons, so this community gathering is postponed.
One silver lining to pandemic delays is that many categories of long-awaited work can be accomplished, such as the re-engineering of our historic St. Anthony’s church parking lot. This work to mitigate drainage issues has been envisioned since the completion of the church restoration, and will be a huge benefit to parishioners and Questa History Trail walkers alike.
What this means for the moment, however, is that the full route of the trail is interrupted as it passes around the church, and the informational signage by the acequia crossing is not available. (Though the long-awaited new bridge is in place between the church and the Parish Center!) We await the completion of this work, when we can reassess the best time for the celebration. We sincerely hope all or you have stayed well during this worrisome time, and will announce far and wide the opening of the full trail route!
Stay tuned and we will continue to provide updates. Keep yourself steeped in Questa history, though and delve into the wealth of information that is available on the project’s website; https://questatrail.org/.
|
|
|
Notice something new at the stoplight corner? Members of the QCC have spruced up Questa signage with fresh paint, the metal “Q” sign as well as the wooden arrow mileage markers that were created as part of the Main Street Frontier Community grant work in 2015.
|
|
How can you support projects like these into the future?
Your help is most welcome as a volunteer. Each of our events are in need of volunteers. Positions ranges from an hour to three or four. Interested?
Email us at questacreativecouncil@gmail.com. Your generosity has direct impact and is very much appreciated.
|
|
|
We are grateful to those who sponsor our projects:
|
|
|
|
Some of these projects are supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
