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Concert Reflection: Balletik Duo's 'memory play'

How last week flew by! From shoveling snow, to rehearsing, to talking about improvisation, to designing posters, to finally playing a concert, the only thing that would have made the week better was not driving 2.5 hours to the airport to send Nati back to Boston.

Looking back, this has to be one of my favorite concerts, and that very much has to do with the space we performed in.  It's amazing how a space can transform music. We used a black box theater on CU's campus; before I reserved the space, a platform for an upcoming stage production had already been built and nailed to the floor. Instead of worrying about it, Nati and I used it as a stage for our intimate setting. Plus, the platform was covered with carpet, which made it stand out from the rest of the theater quite nicely. (See: black box.)

Our memory play concept was carried out in our staging by setting sentimental objects around on the platform. From heirloom trinkets, to photo frames, to throw pillows, the space was transformed from a black canvas to a living room space, something one of my CU colleagues noticed! We wanted to invite the audience into the music, not play the music at them. From speaking with the audience, it seems our idea worked!  We also performed the entire concert without stopping, which made for an interesting listening experience.  The music regressed from loud and active to quiet and meditative, reiterating the journey a moment takes from being an activity to being a memory. Overall, we were really happy with our concert.

I have posted two of four videos from the concert; you can find them at Balletik Duo's YouTube channel.

Nati and I were joined by Casey Cangelosi and Matt Harvey (not pictured). Many thanks to both of them.






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