Anima Mundi Productions sets Oregon pandemic stories to music in world premiere “Six Feet Apart: Stories of Resilience and Transformation” August 29
ASHLAND, OR — On Sunday, August 29 at 5:30 pm, Rogue Valley-based nonprofit Anima Mundi Productions will premiere a new multimedia choral oratorio called Six Feet Apart: Stories of Resilience and Transformation. This unique work harnesses the power of music, poetry, and visual art to amplify diverse voices and foster collective healing in Oregon and beyond during the COVID-19 pandemic. The music and poetry were created by Rogue Valley-based resident artists Ethan Gans-Morse and Tiziana DellaRovere.
Artistic Collaborations
This multimedia video features performances by the LA-based HEX Vocal Ensemble, instrumental musicians from the Brightwork Ensemble, artwork by renowned Ashland painter Betty LaDuke, guest poet submissions by Oregon Poet Laureates Anis Mojgani and Kim Stafford, and visual design, graphics, and editing by filmmaker Camilla Tassi.
Collecting Pandemic Stories through Partnerships
Anima Mundi Productions partnered with the Southern Oregon Historical Society and received consultation from other area nonprofits in our effort to collect and make available to the public a diverse cross-section of Oregonians’ experiences during the pandemic.
The stories collected for this project reflect the diversity of these experiences. Composer Ethan Gans-Morse, poet Tiziana DellaRovere, and their collaborators collected stories via Zoom and phone calls as well as online submissions throughout the fall of 2020, including from students at H.B. Lee Middle School in Portland.
About the World Premiere
On Sunday, August 29, Six Feet Apart will culminate in the world premiere release of a multimedia music video combining music, visual art, and poetry. This project is part of Anima Mundi’s Heart of Humanity concert series. The concerts in this series normally take place at the SOU Music Recital Hall in Ashland, but the entire 2020-21 season is being released on the company’s website.
Viewers may purchase a ticket to attend the premiere, which will be followed by a live question/answer session with the creators and contributors of the project. After the work has premiered, the video will remain on the company’s website for free. For more information: www.HumanityTickets.com
Press Quotes
“When the pandemic hit, and as weeks turned into months, we knew we had to do something,” said Gans-Morse, “As artists in our state, it felt like a call to action for Tiziana and me. Our experience has been that sharing our community’s stories through music can be profoundly healing. It is our hope that harnessing these stories and acknowledging the diverse and life-changing experiences of people from around our state will foster greater unity and appreciation for what our fellow Oregonians are going through.”
“Art and life intertwine to find solace in the sharing that exposes systemic injustices. Much to my surprise, when I am interviewing for these stories, people thank me for listening and they tell me that they feel unburdened just by talking to me about their trauma,” said DellaRovere.
Grant Support
This project was awarded a $15,880 Cultural Development Grant from Oregon Cultural Trust and a $3,888 Arts Build Communities Grant from the Oregon Arts Commission. Anima Mundi Productions is grateful for their support and for that of our other sponsors: the Oregon Community Foundation, Miller Foundation, and Claudette and George Paige of Ashland.
DETAILS
Anima Mundi Productions presents: Six Feet Apart: Stories of Resilience and Transformation
WHEN: Sunday, August 29 at 5:30 pm pacific time
WHERE: Online at www.HumanityTickets.com
COST: World Premiere event with Q&A, “pay what you will” starting at $12. Thereafter, free.
About Anima Mundi Productions:
The mission of Anima Mundi Productions is to create, promote, and produce new musical works that harness the power of the arts to stir the soul, foster community, and address urgent social and environmental problems by creating concerts and public arts events that support the personal and collective healing of at-risk segments of society such as those who have experienced trauma, abuse, discrimination, and other forms of injustice.
The mission of our Heart of Humanity concert series is to feature world-class musicians giving voice to marginalized people with compassion and depth, turning the concert hall into a space for renewed hope, communal healing and mutual understanding.
Click the button below to read JPR Radio's article and to listen to Jefferson Exchange's interview about Six Feet Apart.
Read the article and listen to the interview
