Music as an Act of Resistance, an Instrument of Hope
We have just come off the marvelous week-long Celebration of Haitian Arts: From Painting to Music. In a country with few outlets for young people, music provides options and pathways to success. And, at a time when warring gangs have taken over much of the capital, where things are going from bad to worse, music helps people find courage and sustain hope.
The Celebration of Haitian Arts: From Painting to Music in Cap Haitian really took on a life of its own. From the first day with the opening of the Fine Arts Museum of Cap Haitian (BOZAR) and what we called Cap en Musique, to the astounding final concert on the square in front of the Cathedral, the week was abuzz with activity.
Our host, the CEMUCHCA Institute of Music, was hugely instrumental in ensuring that the week was a success. From helping make arrangements for the 80+ musicians from across Haiti who played in the orchestra, to taking care of all of the details of the daily events, this would not have happened without their tireless work!
The Orchestra of the Haitian Orchestra Institute was drawn from musicians throughout Haiti:
182 people from 8 provinces indicated an interest in auditioning for the HOI
143 auditioned either in person or by video
83 accepted
21 music schools represented
6 provinces represented
Here is an overview of the schedule and, below, one photograph to support each event - believe me, it was a challenge to choose just one photo!
Saturday, March 25
The launch of the Fine Arts Museum of Cap Haitian with a opening show entitled: Raising the Curtain
Cap en Musique - 20 small groups of musicians performed throughout the city of Cap Haitian
A group getting ready to play at a local restaurant
Sunday, March 26
Cap and its Thousand Bands - there is a long tradition of marching bands in the north. These groups were greeted with cheers as they paraded throughout the city
The youngest member of the marching band!
Monday, March 27
Jazz Concert at Cap-Plaza - three groups performed, each very well received
Another young musician performing at the jazz concert
Tuesday, March 28
CEMUCHCA bands performed in the plaza in front of the Cap Cathedral - a terrific concert!
The band concert was incredibly well received!
Wednesday, March 29
A Concert in Homage to Queen Marie Louise - presented by the Musicians of the Utah Symphony at the Habitation Lambert. This is where Queen Marie Louise took refuge when her husband, King Henry Christophe, committed suicide after suffering a stroke. She left the Habitation Lambert to go to Port-au-Prince and, from there, to Europe with her two surviving children. The Utah Symphony musicians performed music for strings and winds, including a world premiere by the young Capois composer, John Karly Fils Menard and, given that March is the International Month of Women, works by both Haitian and American female composers.
Performance by the Musicians of the Utah Symphony
Thursday, March 30
Solo Piano Recital given by the fabulous pianist, Viktor Valkov. Viktor performed on a beautiful Bechstein piano that Musicians of the Utah Symphony were able to locate for the CEMUCHCA Institute of Music and for use by the Haitian Orchestra Institute. The following text is from the Facebook page of the Haitian Orchestra Institute:
“In early 2020, Rick Baldassin of Baldassin Pianos newly restored a 7’6” Bechstein grand piano (made in Berlin in 1932) to be donated to the Cemuchca Music School in Cap Haitien, Haiti. This piano was to be featured in a Haitian Orchestra Institute performance for the 2020 HOI, and Royal Caribbean International cruise line generously offered to ship the piano. Days before the Bechstein was to be loaded on a ship headed for port in Labadee (Labadie, Haiti), the Covid shutdown happened, and the piano was stored for nearly 2 1/2 years. But FINALLY, at the very end of June, 2022, the piano made its voyage to Haiti, and safely made it all the way to the music school! Rick Baldassin and several Musicians of the Utah Symphony were in Haiti in August for an HOI Chamber Music Seminar and the unboxing and first tune-up of the Bechstein grand.”
Viktor Valkov in Concert
Friday, March 31
Musicians of the Utah Symphony and brass and percussion participants of the Haitian Orchestra Institute performed at the State University of Haiti - Limonade Campus. And, from there, most of the musicians headed to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Citadel Laferrière, the largest fortress in the Americas, where they would spend the night to be ready for a performance at dawn the next day. I arrived fairly late after making sure that instruments, music stands and musicians made it up to the top. Even before I reached the fortress, I could hear the sounds of drums and brass instruments. While waiting for dinner to arrive, the Haitian musicians started an EPIC jam session with some of their teachers joining in. And, after dinner, local Twoubado started up with very traditional Haitian music. Dancing, camaraderie - an unforgettable experience!
Institute Brass (faculty and participants) at the State University of Haiti - Limonade
Friday, March 31
After the university concert, most of the musicians headed to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Citadel Laferrière, the largest fortress in the Americas, where they would spend the night to be ready for a performance at dawn the next day. I arrived fairly late after making sure that instruments, music stands and musicians made it up to the top. Even before I reached the fortress, I could hear the sounds of drums and brass instruments. While waiting for dinner to arrive, the Haitian musicians started an EPIC jam session with some of their teachers joining in. And, after dinner, local Twoubado started up with very traditional Haitian music. Dancing, camaraderie - an unforgettable experience!
The Jam session in full swing - lots of drumming (photo credit: Jean Rudy Perrault)
Saturday, April 1
The Citadel at Dawn - wow! After a very short night, featuring an amazing jam session, we were up well before dawn to make sure that the brass and percussion players were in place, ready to greet the sun with the Haitian national anthem, two pieces arranged by Utah Symphony trumpet player, Jeff Luke and Dickens Princivil’s Hymn to Haitian Youth. A remarkable event!
The Citadel at Dawn - an awesome performance by the HOI percussion and brass.
Saturday, April 1
Closing Concert of the Celebration of Haitian Arts from Painting to Music and of the Haitian Orchestra Institute.
Because of a funeral at the Cathedral, we got off to a very late start but…the concert was well worth waiting for! Beginning with the young rising start, Haitian composer Christopher Ducasse’sFòs Nou (Our Strength), performed for the first time in Haiti, continuing with the Waltz movement of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, and Arturo Márquez’ Conga del Fuego Nuevo, after the short pase we were treated to the world premier of Sydney Guillaume’sLavil Okap, intended to be performed at the 2020 HOI which, was canceled just two weeks after the pandemic was announced. The final work on the program was the Finale of Beethoven’s 5th symphony but, after closing remarks, the orchestra treated us to an impromptu redo of the Rara music at the end of Lavil Okap - the audience flooded onto the stage, the players in the orchestra danced…everyone one was euphoric.
The Final Concert of the Institute Orchestra - Jean Rudy Perrault conducting
