Piaclava Community Concerts

Piaclava Community Concerts

A note from Jessica Meyer about these concerts…

While we certainly enjoy playing for paying audiences in traditional concert venues, we each have had individual experiences which made us aware of a great unmet need for music in the lives of those who are either less fortunate, or for those who simply cannot get to a place to hear live music. As students at Juilliard, we worked individually in many hospitals and nursing homes. As professionals, we strive to continue providing high-quality performances in these kinds of venues throughout our career.

There are several challenges unique to these settings. Sometimes people are in physical and/or emotional pain, and being able to make your audience comfortable while you yourself may not feel completely at ease requires resolve, patience, and understanding. Just like with classrooms of students, one needs to be able to engage the audience from the very moment one steps into the room. Depending on the dynamic of the room, this can either be a non-issue or very difficult. Keeping a positive attitude while allowing flexibility and spontaneity are great attributes we bring when faced with these challenges.

Along with the classical repertoire, we love to perform music that was written specifically for our ensemble, works written by our pianist (who is also a composer), as well as pieces from a wide variety of cultures and styles. This facet of our programming also enables us to connect to populations that do not include your average classical concertgoer.

To request a CD, please click here.