Residency
2023 Artist-in-Residence: Vijay Gupta, violin
Since 2012, Music Worcester has significantly increased its community engagement and educational programming to include visiting artist masterclasses and week-long residencies at Worcester Public Schools, as well as free admission to its performances through our Tickets to Opportunity Program.
In planning for 2023 calendar year, Music Worcester approached Vijay Gupta to serve as its second artist-in-residence. Vijay is the founder and Artistic Director of Street Symphony, a community of musicians creating spaces of connection for people in reentry from homelessness, addiction and incarceration in Los Angeles. Vijay is also a co-founder of the Skid Row Arts Alliance, a consortium dedicated to creating art for – and with – the largest homeless community in America. For his work in “bringing beauty, respite, and purpose to those all too often ignored by society”, Vijay was the recipient of a 2018 MacArthur Fellowship.
Throughout the 2023 calendar year, Gupta will deliver a series of recitals and performances, including collaborative presentations with The Worcester Chorus, Worcester Youth Orchestra, OpperTUNEity, The Worcester County Jail and House of Corrections.
These anchor performances will be augmented with outreach in local middle and high schools, masterclass opportunities for college students, and coaching for Music Worcester’s annual Young Artist Competition participants.
PERFORMANCES
Vijay Gupta, violin & Chester Englander, cimbalom
Thursday, March 2 at 7PM at Prior Performing Arts Center, College of the Holy Cross
Vijay Gupta, violinist in recital
Wednesday, May 10 at 7PM at Mechanics Hall
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PRESS
Click each title to read the full article:
Taking a look at Music Worcester’s 2022-23 season — orchestras, banjos, dance and seats to be filled
Richard Duckett, Telegram & Gazette (Aug 5, 2022)
Violinist Vijay Gupta ready to share the power of music as Music Worcester artist-in-residence
Richard Duckett, Telegram & Gazette (Jan 20, 2023)
RESIDENCY PARTNERSHIPS
OpperTUNEity: Deep partnership with OpperTUNEity will allow Gupta to be part of the weekly songwriting workshop with inmates at the Worcester County House of Corrections in person and virtually. Songs from current and past workshops will be performed by Gupta and guests during concerts. Additionally, Gupta will interact with college student interns working through OpperTUNEity and K-12 students involved with the program will be invited to performances.
Worcester County Jail and House of Corrections: Gupta will perform in person as well as via live stream at the Worcester County Jail and House of Corrections. He will also work, through the OpperTUNEity partnership, directly with inmates. Gupta plans to invite former inmates to do storytelling at performances throughout his residency.
Worcester Public School: Vijay Gupta will be partnering with multiple Worcester Public Schools to speak with students, take part in masterclasses, play, coach and more.
Worcester Youth Orchestra: Gupta will be performing with Worcester Youth Orchestra in May 2022 to celebrate their 75th anniversary. Gupta will take part in coaching members and mentorship as well.
The Worcester Chorus: Gupta will join the The Worcester Chorus and artistic director Chris Shepard to perform with them in November 2023 at Mechanics Hall. Expected repertoire includes Bach cantata movements as well as Reena Esmail’s This Love Between Us.
The College of the Holy Cross: Gupta and cimbalom artist Chester Englander will perform at the Prior Performing Arts Center at The College of the Holy Cross on March 2, 2023. While on campus, Gupta will take part in masterclasses and meet with students.
Music Worcester’s Young Artist Competition (YAC): Vijay Gupta will serve as a coach for YAC 2023 participants.
AAMP Worcester (Arts and Music Police Partnership): Gupta plans to visit AAMP’s campus to make music with participants as well as invite youth to attend performances.
Additional outreach expected with local music schools and organizations including but not limited to Joy of Music, Pakachoag Music School, Neighborhood Strings, Main Idea, Afternoon Tunes, and Burncoat Unites.
Mirror/Lens | Vijay Gupta (violin) with Chester Englander (cimbalom) & John Wayne Cormier, Jr. (narration)
A co-production with Prior Performing Arts Center at College of the Holy Cross
Photography by Troy B. Thompson
Music Worcester thanks the following sponsors for their support of this residency program:
Simone Dinnerstein, 2018-2019 Artist-In-Residence ...
I’ve always had a dream … to be able to work in multiple schools and return to them to develop relationships with certain classes and certain schools. I think that everything Music Worcester is doing, not just with me, is about mking classical music a vital part of life. And that’s what it should be, not just a genteel afternoon out. It’s something that is giving us sustenance, in a way.