The famous Carabinieri Band – one of the greatest military orchestras in the world, founded in 1820 – will play at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on April 18, 2016 in a free concert honoring defenders of the cultural heritage of humanity. In what promises to be a not-to-be-missed-event, 90 musicians in their distinctive uniforms will bring to life traditional marches as well as modern and classical music in the majestic Concert Hall. The rich repertoire will include the national anthems of Italy, the United States and the European Union, as well as music by Sousa, Dvorak, and Puccini.
“We warmly invite all lovers of culture to join us in this international musical tribute to the defenders of human heritage, in one of the most beautiful venues in America” said the Ambassador of Italy to the United States, Armando Varricchio. “We are very grateful to the Kennedy Center for giving our talented Carabinieri Band the opportunity to perform in the splendid Concert Hall, in an event which is free and open to the public. Today, after the recent horrific attacks to our culture and some of our fundamental values – just think of Paris, Tunis and Brussels, to mention but some – it reminds us of the importance of defending culture, and our very way of life, in its entirety”.
The concert is organized by the Embassy of Italy in Washington D.C. in partnership with the Italian Institute of Culture in Washington D.C., with the generous support of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Banca Intesa Sanpaolo. It is part of the “Protecting our Heritage” initiative, a program supported by UNESCO and organized by the Washington Network of the European Union National Institutes of Culture (EUNIC), under the 2016 Italian presidency, in order to raise awareness on the need to act against the growing threats posed to cultural heritage by wars, international terrorism, criminal organizations, climate challenges – or more simply, by neglect.
The concert will also recognize the exceptional work of the Italian Carabinieri both in fostering peace and protecting cultural heritage worldwide: they will be part of UNESCO’s “blue helmets for culture” program, thanks to a Memorandum of Understanding signed on February 16, 2016 in Rome by the Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and by Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO.
About the Carabinieri Band
The Carabinieri Band was founded in 1820 when the then Royal Carabinieri Corps assembled a group of buglers for the first time. In 1862 this became a fanfare, and by 1920 had developed into a full Band contingent of the Carabinieri Force. Under the direction of Maestro Luigi Cajoli the Band became famous for its quality of style, and in 1916 it travelled abroad for the first time for a series of concerts for injured allied soldiers. It performed with great success in Paris, and was highly acclaimed by the press. Many other prestigious tours abroad followed, from Europe to North and South America, the Middle East and Japan. Maestro Luigi Cirenei, who was a pupil of Pietro Mascagni, succeeded Cajoli in 1925. He improved the artistic skills of the Band and composed “LA FEDELISSIMA” the march theme adopted by the Carabinieri Force. Other band directors included: Maestro Domenico Fantini (1947), Maestro Vincenzo Borgia (1972) and Maestro Massimo Martinelli (2001), who is the present Director. The Carabinieri Band, with 103 musicians, each one an expert in a particular instrument, interprets the most famous compositions with a rich repertoire ranging from traditional military marches to modern and classical music.
The event will be held on Monday, April 18, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public. RSVP here http://iicwashington.info/events/20160418/rsvps/
For the second year in a row Silent Dance Society (SDS) enlivens DC neighborhoods with a late night music and dance experience that doesn’t disturb any neighbors. The multisensory Silent Disco experience lets guests dance to 3 different music genres played by 3 live DJs as they take in the summer air and gorgeous views from city’s best rooftops. The wireless headset technology lets attendees completely submerge into the music as they switch between the different live streaming DJ channels. The music is transmitted directly to each headset so that one can adjust the volume to their liking or step away from the dance floor without losing the beat.
In partnership with the Cambria Hotel & Suites, SDS is bringing the weekly Silent Disco experience to Shaw neighborhood – every Saturday, May 7th through September 3rd from 8pm – 12am.
In partnership with the Embassy Ro Hotel, SDS is bringing the weekly Silent Disco experience to Dupont Circle neighborhood – every Friday, May 20th through September 2nd from 6pm-11pm
WHO: 3 Live DJs, 3 Different Music Channels, 1 Open Air Dance Floor
WHEN: Season Kick-off – Saturday, May 7th
8pm-12am
WHERE: Cambria Rooftop, 899 O Street NW, Washington DC
TICKETS: $10-15 online headset rental; $20 at the door if not sold-out http://silentdisco-may7.eventbrite.com, www.silentdancesociety.com
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC (GMCW) commemorates its milestone 35thanniversary with Carmina 35 at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall onSunday, May 8, 2016 at 8 p.m., under the direction of Artistic Director Thea Kano. For more information, visit www.GMCW.org.
GMCW partners with New York’s Gallim Dance and 40 members of the New York City Master Chorale to perform a perennial favorite of classical music, Carl Orff’s canonical Carmina Burana. Soloists lending their talent to this performance are soprano Paige Cutrona, tenor Robert Baker, and baritone Young Kwang Yoo. The performance will also feature new choreography by the industrious Andrea Miller, Artistic Director for Gallim Dance.
A leading contemporary dance company based in New York, this collaboration complements the ethos of Gallim Dance, which celebrates the human spirit through works deeply rooted in the human experience of love, struggle and spirituality. Miller created a loose narrative for nine dancers, harnessing the passion and physicality that the music inspires to explore different relationships—same sex and heterosexual, romantic, platonic, and familial. She channels a spectrum of emotions—passion, sexuality, tension, struggle, joy—through characteristically big, bold movement.
This production of Carmina Burana will also be performed at Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.
Orff’s sweeping masterwork is paired with touchstones from GMCW’s history. The second half of the concert will be bookended with significant works commissioned by GMCW— “Build A House” fromAlexander’s House and “This House Shall Stand” from Songs of My Family. The Chorus will also perform favorite selections from past concerts, as well as “This Train,” the first song rehearsed at GMCW’s inaugural rehearsal in 1981, GMCW’s anthem “Make Them Hear You” from Broadway’s Ragtime, and “We Kiss in Shadow,” performed by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus at the Kennedy Center in 1980, which served as the inspiration to start a DC-based gay men’s chorus.
Historical significance
A torchbearer and consistent, unified voice for equality, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC has been a steady presence in its community and at historic events that have impacted LGBT people. In 2013, GMCW sang on the steps of the Supreme Court when the Defense of Marriage Act was struck down, and returned in 2015 to sing jubilantly when the court ruled in favor of marriage equality. That same year, GMCW was the first LGBT chorus invited to perform in Cuba on a 10-day cultural and educational tour, helping to spread awareness about equality. The chorus sang at the Lincoln Memorial in 2008 for the first inauguration of President Barack Obama, performing “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” with Josh Groban and Heather Headley. Additionally, GMCW vocal ensemble Potomac Fever performed at the White House in 2012 for the first-ever LGBT reception honoring rising LGBT leaders.
The chorus has grown from 90 members in its first season to more than 200 singing members today, educating and entertaining more than 10,000 patrons annually.
Spring Fest presented by Cathedral Commons, a new mixed-use development on Wisconsin Avenue in Washington, D.C., will be in full bloom onSaturday, May 14 from 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. The free event, curated by Art Soiree, will combine art, music, family-friendly fun and food throughout the day. Stroll the streets and listen to live musical performances, peruse local art, and taste delicious food and beverage offerings from neighborhood restaurants, and enter in for a chance to win prizes and giveaways from area retailers. Festivities take place rain or shine.
-12:00pm Open Air Workout (Bring your mat and join in )
– 12:45pm Miguelito Flamenco Band & Dancers
– 2:00pm Kiss & Ride Band (Blues/Jazz/Soul)
– 3:00pm Tara Hendricks Band (Brit Pop/Soul/R&B)
– 4:00pm Joi Carter (Alternative, Rock and So Much More!)
WHEN: Saturday, May 14, 2016
WHERE: Cathedral Commons, 3401 Idaho Avenue, Northwest, Washington, DC 20016
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 | 6-8 pm
Beuchert’s Saloon (623 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003)
Tickets at gourmetsymphony.org/events
Ticket includes: beer tastings, passed small plates & live chamber music.
The Cathedral Choral Society will host a community sing-along, “Schubert is Great,” on Sunday, June 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Washington National Cathedral. Music Director J. Reilly Lewis will conduct, accompanied by Todd Fickley on the Great Organ. Two works by Schubert will be read:Great is Jehovah, the Lord and Mass No. 2 in G. Tickets are $10, including score rental. Singers of all abilities are welcome.
The chorus will be joined by three guest soloists: Suzanne Karpov, soprano; Jonas Hacker, tenor; and Timothy Bruno, bass.
“Our community sing-alongs are a fantastic opportunity to experience the joy of choral singing in Washington National Cathedral. No matter your singing background, all voices are welcome to join in this fun event,” said Executive Director Genevieve Twomey.
Cathedral Sings is a twice annual program of the Cathedral Choral Society intended to promote lifelong singing. This is the final sing-along of the 2015/16 Season. The Cathedral Choral Society begins the 2016/17 Season – the organization’s 75th – in October. More information on the season’s concerts can be found online.
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About the Cathedral Choral Society: The Cathedral Choral Society is the resident symphonic chorus of Washington National Cathedral. Now in its 74thseason, the 145-voice chorus presents an inspiring concert season at the Cathedral and shares the joy of choral singing throughout the Greater Washington, DC Area through its community engagement programs.
For Tickets: All tickets are $10, and include the cost of score rental. To purchase tickets, or for additional information, please call (202) 537-2228 | (877) 537-2228 or visit the website, www.cathedralchoralsociety.org. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door the day of the performance.
At a Glance:
- Cathedral Sings: Schubert is Great, Sunday, June 12, 7:30 p.m., Washington
National Cathedral
- Tickets (includes score rental): $10
- Singers of all abilities welcome
- Music to be read: Schubert’s Great is Jehovah, the Lord and Mass No. 2 in G
- J. Reilly Lewis, conductor
- Guest soloists: Suzanne Karpov, soprano; Jonas Hacker, tenor; and Timothy Bruno, bass
