(Joplin, MO) – Pro Musica Joplin, the 41-year-old local organization presenting leading national and international chamber musicians in free concerts and educational residencies, is launching a new, temporary initiative in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Focused on uplifting healthcare professionals and marginalized communities impacted by the pandemic, Overtures of Hope will bring socially-distanced outreach concerts to area facilities. Serving Mercy Hospital Joplin and Lafayette House this week, more Overtures of Hope activities will occur over the coming months.
Lori Marble, Pro Musica’s Board President and Mercy’s Director of Strategic Innovation, says, “We’re thrilled for Mercy to be the first site to benefit from Overtures of Hope. The beauty and the peace shared through this performance is bound to be transformative and uplifting for everyone blessed to hear.”
The project is the brainchild of Pro Musica’s new Executive Director Jay Gilman. A Missouri-native, Jay has spent over a decade as a producing leader, curator, and arts engagement and impact consultant in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis.
“My background and Pro Musica’s are fully aligned — both focused on excellent performing arts combined with community impact. Music is a vital tool for resiliency in our fight against COVID-19. I’m proud to lead Pro Musica through this unprecedented time for our sector.”
The first ensemble featured in Pro Musica’s Overtures of Hope is the Opus 76 Quartet, based out of Kansas City. Gilman notes: “The Opus 76 Quartet is the perfect ensemble to inaugurate this initiative. Musically, the Quartet balances extreme precision and inspired renditions. Community engagement is also core to the Quartet’s work, equipping them with the skills and expertise needed within the project’s framework.”
The Opus 76 Quartet’s Artistic Executive Keith Stanfield adds, “Centuries of audiences have enjoyed the mental and spiritual comfort of listening to these great musical works. We’re proud to serve Joplin in the same ways we’ve served Kansas City’s communities during this pandemic.”
Gilman sums up the effort this way: “Our desire with Overtures of Hope is simple yet profound: to create an opportunity for people to bask in the healing power of ageless music. It is truly our honor to be in a position to uplift the Joplin region in this way.”
About Pro Musica :
Founded in 1981, Pro Musica is the leading presenter of world-class chamber music in Joplin, Missouri and the surrounding four-state region. Pro Musica uplifts “ageless music for all ages” through free tickets to Chamber Series concerts; cornerstone Arts Education Events in Joplin Public Schools, area private schools, and homeschool networks, and at Missouri Southern State University; provides innovative frameworks for experiencing classical chamber music including coffee shop and library-based family concerts; outdoor events; an annual jazz concert; and more. Pro Musica is supported by the generosity of numerous individuals, business and corporate sponsors, family and private foundations, and the Missouri Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts.
About The Opus 76 Quartet:
The Opus 76 Quartet, now in its 4th season, has become known for its entertaining and energetic interpretations of the classics. The Kansas City Star recently described the group as “Kansas City’s gem of a quartet.” The Opus 76 Quartet were recently mentioned in Gramophone Magazine in a review of classical music in the Midwest of the United States. Based in Kansas City, Keith Stanfield (violin), Zsolt Eder (violin), Ashley Stanfield (viola) and Sascha Groschang (cello) perform 50 concerts a year together across the United States.
Reference:
Jay Gilman, Executive Director
ProMusica Joplin
816.392.5588 (cell)
director@promusicajoplin.org
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