Nicola Benedetti and the Benedetti Foundation's Global Violin Sessions gain Media attention
Nicola Benedetti performing with students at one her Benedetti Sessions (Photo credit: Benedetti Foundation)
After the success of the Virtual Benedetti Sessions in May, Nicola Benedetti and the Benedetti Foundation have kicked off the Virtual Global Violin Sessions. Featuring artists Tessa Lark, Mark and Maggie O’Connor, Roby Lakatos, Geza Hosszu-Legocky with the Five-DeViLs, Pekka Kuusisto, and Nemanja Radulovic. The Global Sessions will also feature a short composition by Wynton Marsalis, which will be passed around to be played in the style of the different countries covered - America, Hungary, Finland and Serbia.
Benedetti shared her own thoughts on the new sessions, “Music has always shown us the similarities and diversities of the human story with nuance, clarity and accuracy. It gently but undeniably states a worldview that requires no rebuffing. There is space in the world for us all. There is space for our individualities and particulars and differences. We are all allowed to be who we are and have love and acceptance of that identity. But how often do we demonstrate acceptance, curiosity and openness towards the story and cultures of others? What happens if you take one tune and send it around the world? The Global Violin is about to start to find out and we can’t wait!”
The Global Violin Sessions began on November 16, 2020. The final day of the sessions will be December 13, 2020, on which the Foundation will have the final day of activities ending with the premiere of a short film created throughout the Virtual Sessions process.
Sharon Kelly of UDiscoverMusic praised, “This inspiring online initiative follows the enormous success of the first ever Virtual Sessions in May this year,” and continued saying, “The participants will gain insight into the musical worlds of each tradition and will be taught, through a combination of live and pre-recorded lessons, by a stellar line up of great musicians.”
Jon Jacob of Scala Radio featured the Virtual sessions explaining, “[Participants] will delve deep inside their worlds, and participants will not only learn about how to play in their style, but also learn about why they sound the way they do and make the choices they make.”
Rosie Pentreath of Classic FM acclaimed the sessions saying, “As before, all learning is aimed at musicians of all ages and stages, and from all over the world, and is a great way to recapture a sense of togetherness in uncertain times.”
The Strad described the purpose of the tune used throughout the Global Sessions: “Each violinist will make it their own, changing rhythms, twisting notes, rewriting corners, adding instrumentation, colours and effects. And along the way, they will teach the participants how they do it, the aim being to give them an insight into the musical traditions of each country.”
BBC Music Magazine promoted the Global Violin Sessions as an option for “Online orchestras and musical activities to take part of during the second [UK] lockdown.”
To learn more about the Global Violin Sessions, click here.