Dear friend
This week, Dranoff and the Arsht Center premiere PIANO SLAM 13 - The Movie.
It has been one of the most challenging, surprising and exciting enterprises we have been produced – from the virtual workshops, tutorials, concerts and rehearsals to filming the winning student poets in places all over Miami, dancers dancing in unexpected locations, and editing the final film over several time zones. Kudos and deep appreciation to each and every person who has been part of it.
A special thank you to a very generous artist who has created the design for this year’s PIANO SLAM t-shirt.
In years past, we have had Miami Dade Public School students create the shirts. This year, given that the theme touched on so many themes to which the acclaimed artist Xavier Cortada has dedicated his creative life, I reached out to him to design the shirt, and he graciously accepted. If you would like to have your own shirt, please find it on our website.
Xavier has been a force in environmental activism and socially engaged art before those terms have entered the general lexicon. “The crux of Cortada’s work finds itself rooted in a deep conceptual engagement of his participants. Particularly environmentally focused, the work Cortada develops is intended to generate awareness and action towards issues of global climate change and social justice.” [from his website].
Usually on Music Mondays, we include a poem. Today’s choice, below, is Xavier’s favorite one, a measure of the man and his life.
Thank you, Xavier!!
In the meantime, do enjoy one of the lovely pieces of music performed by the piano duo in whose hands has rested the classical portion of the music in PIANO SLAM 13. Pianoduo DUOR, Yoshie and Takashi are playing a beloved Chopin impromptu.
I hope I "see" you on Thursday!
Warmly,
Gabriele Fiorentino
President,
The Dranoff 2 Piano Foundation
Piano Slam