Tonight and Saturday only!
The collaboration brings together three longtime New Hampshire institutions: Apple Hill, a cornerstone of the state’s cultural life since 1971; Flying Gravity Circus, serving the Monadnock and Souhegan regions since 1999; and High Mowing School, a Waldorf school founded in 1942. A new aerial rigging system in HMS’s Pine Hill Auditorium was made possible by a private donation, with supplemental funding from the Cornelia and Michael Bessie Foundation and the Kingsbury Fund.
· WHAT: Live chamber music and youth circus artistry come together with “STRINGS IN FLIGHT: Quartet & Circus”
- When: TONITE: Friday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m.; TOMORROW: Saturday, Nov. 14, at 4 p.m.
- Where: Pine Hill Auditorium, High Mowing School, 77 Pine Hill Rd., Wilton, N.H.
- Tickets: Adults $25; children 12 and under $15, at www.tickettailor.com/events/flyinggravitycircus/2452208
- Information: info@flyinggravitycircus.org
ABOUT THE PERFORMANCES:
When a world-class string quartet and a troupe of young circus artists share one stage, the music doesn’t just accompany the action, it lifts it.
The Apple Hill String Quartet (AHSQ) and Flying Gravity Circus (FGC), in partnership with High Mowing School (HMS), present “STRINGS IN FLIGHT: Quartet & Circus,” an evening of acrobatics, aerial arts, and jonglerie accompanied by live music.
The performance features:
· FGC’s Indigo Troupe, advanced high school students in pre-professional circus training, several of whom are also enrolled in HMS’s Circus Studies Program.
· The troupe is directed by Madison Ward and the FGC coaching team,
· AHSQ members Jesse MacDonald and Elise Kuder (both on violin), Mike Kelley (viola), and Jacob MacKay (cello).
· Keyboardist Ben Hemmendinger of Brattleboro’s WindFish Band joins as a special guest, as well as cellist Andrew Koutroubas of the Silentwoods Collective who will accompany FGC’s Blue Troupe in the opening act.
“Playing for circus artists changes how you listen. Every phrase has to carry them, and they answer with a kind of physical music of their own,” said MacDonald, violinist with the Apple Hill String Quartet.
“Circus arts and string music are central to arts education at High Mowing School, so working with Flying Gravity Circus and Apple Hill is a natural collaboration,” said Katherine C. Meyer, Head of School at High Mowing. “Many of our students participate in FGC’s Indigo Troupe, and this playful performance allows them to showcase their talents set to live string music.”
About Apple Hill String Quartet: Called “dashing and extraordinary” by The Strad, the Apple Hill String Quartet are the Artistic Directors and resident musicians at the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music and Music Directors of its Summer Chamber Music Workshop in Nelson, N.H. www.applehill.org
About Flying Gravity Circus: Flying Gravity Circus helps children and teens ages 2-18 develop strength, confidence, and a sense of belonging through recreational and pre-professional programs in southern New Hampshire. Flying Gravity ignites in young people a love for learning, performing, and teaching circus arts through non-competitive performance troupes, summer camps, and afterschool programs, enriching their lives and their communities. www.flyinggravitycircus.org
About High Mowing School: High Mowing School (Wilton, N.H.) is a coeducational, college-preparatory Waldorf boarding and day school serving students in early childhood through grade 12. Founded in 1942, it was the first Waldorf high school in North America and remains the only Waldorf boarding school in North America. www.highmowing.org.