Bach to Brazil
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Harpist Bridget Kibbey has assembled an all-star cast merging folk, jazz, and classical idioms to celebrate one of history's grandest cultural migration stories, leading to today's Nuevo Latino Luminaries.
Starting with the baroque courts of Europe, melding with the rhythm of Western Africa, and mixing with the indigenous melodies of the Caribbean Coast, Kibbey and Co track the cross-pollination stories that give us the songs and dances we love, alongside the folk masters that inspired them. This is Cumbia before Shakira... where the Llanera and Kora traditions meet the modern harp.
The project also features works from today’s great composers, emerging from these traditions, including our own Latin-Grammy winning percussionist/composer Samuel Torres, Brazilian-born João Luiz, and Cuban-born Paquito d’Rivera. Kibbey is on a mission to commission new works that bring new light to the rich history of the harp within this migration story – presented alongside the folk masters that inspired them.
Featuring harpist Bridget Kibbey with Latin-Grammy Winning Percussionist Samuel Torres & Sphinx Competition-Winner Violinist Rubén Rengel.
A short film featuring dancer Daniel Fetecua in his native Colombian joropo.
Works by: J.S. Bach, José Barros, Jacob de Bandolim, Paquito d'Rivera, Juan Manuel Plaza, Samuel Torres, Manuel Valera, Miguel Zenón, Astor Piazzola, Joaquín Rodrigo, and João Luiz. Representing: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela.
Bach to Brazil has performed at The Colombian Embassy, The Schubert Club, The Cliburn - Fort Worth, Philadelphia's World Music Cafe, NYC's Le Poisson Rouge, Dayton Live Arts, The Savannah Music Festival, & Carnegie Hall's CityWide.
ASSOCIATED CONCERTS
Acclaim
“Kibbey has the world at her fingertips.”
-Star Tribune
"...Once she applied her fingers to her large concert harp, it was clear that she was a formidable musician, fluent in the 'modes, colors, and drones' within music that carries the weight of history.”
-Portland Press
"Bridget is not only incredibly virtuosic, she's also a great communicator onstage, both through her music and through talking to the audience," said Barry Kempton, the Schubert Club's artistic and executive director. "She's also a clever, creative and thoughtful curator and programmer who has a passion for collaboration with artists from different musical cultures. She's one of the best kind of musicians to see live."
-Star Tribune
"It was also an outstanding season for the area’s foremost recital presenter, the Schubert Club, which opened many an ear to new adventures by having harpist Bridget Kibbey as its featured artist. She lent her versatile virtuosity to solo works, chamber music collaborations, and a historically informed musical travelogue.”
-Gramophone Magazine
