Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra Salon Series

Integrarte, 85 Seaverns St, Jamaica Plain, Boston

The program is as follows: "Santons", a dance choreographed by Kathy Hassinger, Artistic Director of Dance Currents Inc., to John Rutter's "Suite Antique" played live by Pro Arte (Rebecca Plummer, piano, Steve Laven, cello and Sue-Ellen Hershman Tcherepnin, flute). The dance is about the "little saints" or "santons", clay figurines made in Provence. These depict French villagers "rushing to the light" of the nativity. They were made during the French Revolution when the churches were closed. Using the red clay of their own land, the people of Provence found a way to reinvent their religious icons.

The second piece on the program is a musical performance with cello, Steve Laven and piano, Rebecca Plummer, of Jean Sibelius' "Malinconia", a hauntingly beautiful piece of music.

The third piece, "Dayspring," is a dance done to music with the same name. The composer, Dr. Delvyn Case is a professor of music at Wheaton College. Todd Brunel, clarinet and Rebecca Plummer, piano, will play this live. According to Dr. Case, "Dayspring" is a musical depiction of the challenge of holding onto hope despite living in a broken world. This ten minute piece is a musical expansion of that infinitesimal moment just before the sun appears above the horizon - that split second when the beauty of what we see reminds us of the possibility that hope and peace may be within our grasp." The dancers performing are Lauren Previte, Avery Saulnier de Reyes, Meredith Wells, Jennifer Passios, Kirsten Glaser, and Mitzi Eppley, all professional dancers and teachers in the Boston Area.

We are particularly delighted to present the program at Integrarte, a dance studio in Jamaica Plain that welcomes so many artists. Please enter at the 87 Seaverns Ave. entrance. There will be a reception after the show.