At the Hatch Shell, dancers, choreographed by Jean Apollón, bring to life “La Chouconne,” Arranged by Anthony R. Greene, Artistic Director of Castle of Our Skins.
Students and alumni from Conservatory Lab played at the Hatch Shell last Thursday evening at Dance Night with the Landmarks Orchestra. The performance also included resident artists with the school from Celebrity Series, Castle of Our Skins, and the fusion dance company of choreographer Jean Apollón. Christopher Wilkins, Music Director of Boston Landmarks Orchestra, proudly announced, “I think this is the first four-way collaboration we’ve ever had up here on this stage.”
Composer Anthony R. Greene, of Castle of our Skins, arranged “La Chouconne,” a Haitian traditional song that tells a story of unrequited love, for the Conservatory Lab orchestra. Ashe Gordon, Artistic & Executive Director, drew out the music from the kids in the rehearsal last Tuesday, describing the song this way, “This is for me moonlight, stars twinkling, and ‘oh woe is me’ singing about a lover who doesn’t love him back. This melody was taken by Americans who changed the lyrics to be about a yellow bird…. Whatever kind of dreamy starry-eyed mood you can set for us, would be great!”
Board members and their families at the Concert
During down-time at rehearsals, students and alumni listened to the other players. One alum, starting at BAA this fall took time out to help document, grabbing the camera and learning the basics of focus, aperture, and shutter to take portraits of his peers.
Portrait of the players by an alumnus who now attends Boston Arts Academy
As the sunset, and the lights popped on under the stars, musical magic set in. The dancers in yellow and white costumes shone out dreamy and starry-eyed as they came together and apart on the stage, reflecting both the yellow bird of the Americanized lyrics and the original poem that inspired the song.