Olympic Harmony! 2008Inspired by the 2008-2009 Olympic Season, the Equinox Chamber Players kick off their new season with Olympic Harmony!, designed to celebrate the coming together of the five continents. As designated by the five Olympic Rings, one ring per continent, Equinox will perform music of the Americas, Asia, Oceana, Africa and Europe.
The evening begins with an international menu of tapas, sponsored by Whole Foods prepared and served by Choices Catering Brokerage, headed by Naomi Francis. Also, please enjoy wine or beer with hosts Mary Ann and Dick Shaw!
Accompanying the music and food, Equinox has also prepared a silent auction of international items. Please join us for the fun and know that you are supporting our Olympic Harmony! educational outreach this coming season with nine outreach events and four public concerts. (To read about our additional outreach sponsors, click here.)
Special Feature:
Equinox will perform a sneak-preview of our new commissioned work by Beth Denisch, A Suite of Five Blessings. Read about it below.
The Suite of Five Blessings
by Beth Denisch
Commissioned by the Equinox Chamber Players
Inspired by the 2008 Beijing Olympics, The Suite of Five Blessings, for woodwind quintet, explores happiness, prosperity, good fortune, passion and vitality. Each blessing represents an Olympic ring, bringing new meaning to the coming together of the five continents.
The 5 mascots for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, called Fuwas, seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the five blessings describing the Olympic spirit. Each Fuwa also represents a playful category, a color, an element of nature, and various sports at the Olympic games.
1. Happiness' Fuwa is a giant panda, honest, optimistic, and full of happiness. His sports include weightlifting, judo, wrestling and takewondo. This movement invokes the music of the Americas, from the Andes through Mexico and the States into Canada.
2. Prosperity's symbol is a fish, as gentle and pure as the blue water where she swims and dreams. The aquatic sports are swimming, diving, water polo, rowing, canoe/kayak and sailing, the continent is Oceania and the musical influences of its islands.
3. The innocent and joyous swallow represents Good Fortune. Her acrobatic swooping and soaring resonates with the gymnastic sports and the expansive lands and music of Asia.
4. The fire of the Olympic flame finds its home with Passion. The ball sports reign with enthusiasm to go faster, higher and stronger, and the continent is Europe.
5. The lively and vivacious nature of the Tibetan antelope lives on despite its status as an endangered species. This final movement, Vitality, invokes the track and field sports and the promise of a strong, growing, and healthy African continent.
The Suite of Five Blessings
1. Happiness
2. Prosperity
3. Good Fortune
4. Passion
5. Vitality
Olympic Harmony art by Ann Homann.
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