BRATTLEBORO-The Vermont Symphony Orchestra will head to Windham County to present two cutting-edge music presentations at the Brattleboro Music Center - one that introduces classical music to children and families, and the other a performance of rock 'n' roll classics.
"Anyone can access this music," says Elise Brunelle, VSO's executive director. "The word classical tends to shut people down."
Brunelle says that as the VSO moves toward the end of its 90th anniversary season, "This is our way of opening the door and saying 'Why don't you give it a try? You might just love it.'"
"Juicebox: A Concert for Kids and Families" is a program designed for kids 10 and under and their families. It is centered on the connection between feelings and music.
The program includes interactive spots for the audience, music set to The Feelings Book by New York Times bestselling author Todd Parr, musical jokes, and dance time for young audience members.
The VSO String Quartet members - who will perform in both concerts - are Brooke Quiggins-Saulnier and Joana Genova, on violin; Stefanie Taylor, on viola, and John Dunlop, on cello.
"As a parent of three young children, I designed Juicebox as a comfortable, interactive show that welcomes kids into our world of music," says Matt LaRocca, the VSO's artistic advisor and project conductor who curates and hosts both programs,
As described in his biography on the VSO website, LaRocca is "a composer, performer, and educator who you are just as likely to see playing with a band in a dive bar as conducting an orchestra."
"There are great, energetic elements to the show - dedicated wiggle and movement time and a lot of playful back-and-forth between myself, the audience, and the quartet," he says.
LaRocca "found different pieces of music that evoke all the emotions in the book," Brunelle says. "So he'll say to the audience, 'Sometimes you are really happy,' and then the kids dance around and can feel that emotion."
It'll be a concert that's supposed to have a more relaxed vibe," she adds. "It's a string quartet with unusual music in an unusual setting. Something you can show up to in jeans and sneakers and just enjoy the music."
The VSO's Jukebox String Quartet, with LaRocca as curator and host, will plug in and go electric to bring a rock 'n' roll–inspired show to the BMC, with classics by Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Tool, and Nirvana joining selections from Felix Mendelssohn and Dmitri Shostakovich.
"It's got both hard-hitting classical pieces and music from the greatest rock 'n' roll stars," says LaRocca.
He promises that Quiggins-Saulnier (violinist) will play through an array of guitar pedals as she performs the "greatest guitar solo of all time" - "Eruption," by Van Halen.
Exploring and playing with music
LaRocca is a cross-genre composer, performer, and professor of composition and theory at the University of Vermont.
He performs on the electric viola (through an array of guitar pedals) with Michael Chorney's psych-rock improvisation ensemble Freeway Clyde and is a frequent collaborator with rock, folk, and electronic musicians.
LaRocca has written string and orchestral arrangements for, and performed with, many artists including Guster, Grace Potter, Kat Wright, Bill Ellis, Francesca Blanchard, Myra Flynn, Moira Smiley, and many others.
"I've worked at VSO for nine years, and my role there is to explore and play. I do a lot of the non-traditional things that we do," he says.
Recently, the VSO did a show he designed in an aircraft hangar.
"I love working with the VSO because we get a chance to really use innovative programming to connect with the community, and the musicians are topnotch," LaRocca adds. "We've been able to experiment and play, which is a real gift."
Both Juicebox and Jukebox are in their ninth year.
"We wanted to create a series that was more informal and relaxed than our more traditional concerts at places where there is a relaxed vibe but still play ripping music," LaRocca says. "We wanted to give audiences a spot to experiment but try new things."
For the VSO musicians, it's a change of pace.
"We have these amazing musicians, and seeing them in a chamber group is a much different world than ain n orchestra when there are 50 to 70 of them on stage," he says. "It's a great way to feature our performers as well."
The Juicebox musicians will also perform an interactive piece, Farmony - a play on farm animals.
"The musicians imitate sheep and goats," LaRocca says.
The program, which celebrates "interaction between audience and musicians," features a wide gamut of composers and eras.
"There is Bach and Beethoven but also Talking Heads," LaRocca says. "They will perform little snippets of music by 17 different composers."
How did the collaboration with Todd Parr come about?
"I reached out to Todd because I was reading [Farmony] to our 3 year old and it's such an amazing book," he says. "I loved it and I started dreaming up a kid show. The pictures draw you in so much. The way it's written is wonderfully simple and amazingly deep and relevant."
The show looks to evoke feelings of comfort.
"I wanted to make a kids show where there isn't a barrier between us," LaRocca says. "It's old school. Hundreds of years ago, people would gather in people's living rooms and watch string quartets. It has that feel. It's a place where there is back-and-forth between me and the quartet and me and the audience."
The musicians also "give the kids three minutes of wiggle time so they can get up and move," he says. "All of that wrapped up with wonderful music that can connect to them in a specific way."
"In the evening show, Jukebox, some are arrangements of rock songs and some have the same aesthetic like Nirvana. John, our cellist, electrifies and plays through a loop pedal and our violinist Brooke plays through a guitar amp and guitar pedals, too," LaRocca adds.
'A blast'
"In the upcoming rock 'n' roll show, we get to play a key role in combining the precision of classical music with the bold, rebellious energy of rock," says Quiggins-Saulnier, on violin.
She calls it "a chance to see rock music in a totally new way and really connect with the audience during an electrifying, high-octane show. What an exciting opportunity to celebrate both musical worlds in a way that's sure to leave a lasting impression!"
She calls the experience "fun and dynamic" and "a blast."
"It's all about embracing a mix of styles, working closely with amazing fellow musicians, and showcasing everything from classical technique to modern creativity in a high-energy, innovative setting," Quiggins-Saulnier says. "It's definitely one of the highlights of my performance schedule, and I love the chance to bridge the gap between genres and contribute to something truly unforgettable."
And, Taylor, on viola, suggests there will be some real bangers.
"Led Zeppelin and Tool aren't the only rockers on the program," she says. "Shostakovich definitely gives them a run for their money."
Two of 40 concerts statewide
"With 54 contracted musicians, VSO presents more than 40 concerts per year around the state, from string quartets to the full orchestra," Brunelle says.
She notes that VSO is the only statewide orchestra, so it's important for the organization and its musicians to be present in all of the counties in various ways.
"Even though I grew up in Vermont, I'm constantly surprised and really enjoy playing in unusual venues, spaces and towns that I'd never been exposed to. Because of our size we have more options of where we can play as opposed to the orchestra...so it can be a bit of adventure," says Dunlop, the cellist.
"It is always a very good day when our friends from the Vermont Symphony Orchestra come to town," says Brattleboro Music Center Executive Director Mary Greene.
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Vermont Symphony Orchestra presents two special concerts at the Brattleboro Music Center, 72 Blanche Moyse Way, Brattleboro on Saturday, April 5.
"Juicebox: A Concert for Kids and Families" - a free concert for kids 10 and under and their adults - starts at 3 p.m.
"Jukebox: Heavy Metal Strings" - a rock 'n' roll–inspired show - begins at 7 p.m. Tickets: $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
For more information and tickets to Jukebox, visit bmcvt.org. For more information on the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, visit vso.org.
This Arts item by Victoria Chertok was written for The Commons.