“From a technical standpoint, I would say performance is poly-everything,” he continued. “Polyrhythm, poly-tonality, poly-culture, and it’s designed to be immersive. There is no nation in the world that lacks spirit and pulse. So in between all of our trainings, we’re going to [bring each of them to the stage].”
Adding to the seriousness of the performance are the talented artists Terry has curated to join him on stage. In addition to Hall Moran, the group includes Fabian Almazán, a graduate student at Harvard, and Yunior Terry and David Virelles, jazz musicians based in New York City.
“This group that [Yosvany] has put together is so exceptional, and it amazes me that I’m going to be in a room with these centuries of information about music from around the world,” said Hall Moran.
“Yosvany is really trying to combine a lot of different musical elements to represent a culture that is very nuanced and diverse,” said Almazán, a two-time Grammy nominee who was just 14 when he met Terry.
“[He is] presenting this cornucopia of thought, expression and experience of culture around the world,” said Hall Moran.
The performance is the latest commission from HUCA, which has brought contemporary artists from across the country to the Harvard campus for performances and exhibits that are not just meant to be seen by the community, but are there to provide moments of contemplation and emotional connections. .
“The arts are where inquiry leads us through the senses. Harvard has artists on its faculty who work with students to open new sensory pathways to understanding, true delight, and social possibility. They are changing their minds,” said Robin Kelsey, Shirley Carter Burden Professor of Photography, Dean of Arts and Humanities and HUCA co-chair.
“HUCA commissions allow our faculty to collaborate with artists outside of Harvard and share the resulting work with the university community. It’s a win-win formula for everyone,” she said.
Atlantic Connections will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Farkas Hall and 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Harvard Art Museums. Admission is free and open to the public. Ticket not required.
