The Benedetti Foundation presents the Global Violin Sessions, A Cultural Exchange Part One
Nicola Benedetti will be leading the Global Violin Sessions for aspiring music students around the globe, ending with a film premiere on December 19th
For Immediate Release
(November 5, 2020) - Following the enormous success of the first ever Virtual Sessions in May this year, the Benedetti Foundation presents the Global Violin Sessions: A Cultural Exchange Part One.
The film premiere will take place on Saturday 19 December at 5pm UK Time / 12pm NY Time on Facebook and Youtube.
Running from 16 November, 2020 to 13 December, 2020, the Sessions will take participants on the start of a trip around the world through the eyes of the violin, in a tale of discovery, globalism and cultural exchange.
Trumpeter, composer and educator Wynton Marsalis has written a short tune which will be played by Nicola Benedetti. It will then be passed round four countries over three weeks – America, Hungary, Finland and Serbia – from one ‘Virtuoso Violinist’ to another. Each violinist will make it their own. Change rhythms, twist notes, rewrite corners, add instrumentation and colours and effects – and along the way, they will teach the participants how they do it. Participants will gain insight into the musical worlds of each tradition, told by the violin and led by a stellar line up of great musicians.
America – Week One
• Tessa Lark – bluegrass tradition
• Mark and Maggie O’Connor - American folk fiddle tradition
Hungary – Week Two
• Roby Lakatos – classical, jazz and folk idioms of Hungary
• Geza Hosszu-Legocky – Hungarian gypsy-Roma traditions and he will be joined by his award winning group the Five-DeViLs
Finland & Serbia – Week Three
• Pekka Kuusisto – inspired by the traditional music of Finland
• Nemanja Radulovic – inspired by the Eastern European folk tradition
Over a four-week period, the leading violinists will teach the participants, through a combination of live and pre-recorded lessons, the nuances and techniques of their tradition. They 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.
Nicola Benedetti commented, ‘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!’
During weekends from 21 November to 6 December, the Foundation will work live with participants of all ages and stages, and from all over the world, to prepare the repertoire. From the very youngest to the oldest violinists to ensure the fullest community reach. These weekends will be enhanced with pre-recorded tutorials made available throughout the week. Participants will be supported by short practice schedules which coincide with the release of the tutorials. Explore & Discover on Saturday’s offering the opportunity to Meet the Artists, take part in Q&A’s, learn about the violin traditions and performance sessions which are all open to anyone to sign up to. Prepare & Perform on Sunday’s is focused on violinists from beginners to advanced players and everything in between.
Woven together by the masterful hand of Wynton Marsalis, and supported by the Ayoub Sisters, the Benedetti Foundation will produce a series of small compositions based on folk traditions of America, Finland and Hungary. The final film will bring these tunes together and take a visual and aural journey around these cultures through the eyes of the violin. On Saturday 18 December the project will culminate in the premiere of this short film at 5pm UK Time / 12pm NY Time on Nicola’s YouTube channel.
For more information, click here.