On Friday 28th February we followed Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective for a day dedicated to exploring the powerful connections between music and wellbeing. Join us as we reflect on this thought-provoking and transformative event.
We started the morning with a rejuvenating early morning yoga session in Blackwell Hall, led by Kaleidoscope performer and yoga teacher Elena Urioste. Aimed at musicians and performers, but open to all, the class set the stage for an uplifting and inspiring day ahead.
Our mid-morning coffee was accompanied by beautiful music in Blackwell Hall, with a pop up preview performance from two members of the Collective.
This was followed by a thought-provoking ‘Thriving in the Spotlight’ panel discussion in the Sheldonian Theatre. Professor Eric Clarke, Emeritus Professor of Music, spoke with Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective about the physical and mental pressures faced by musicians, often hidden behind the music. The panel shared their own experiences with the audience, and ways they work to overcome challenging feelings before, during, and after performing.
The day concluded with an immersive evening concert in which guests were encouraged to enjoy a truly individual listening experience, with moments of personal reflection, and a celebration of the audience’s shared connection. At the start of the performance, Elena Urioste led the audience in a breathing exercise. Some guests opted to relax on beanbags in the round, inspiring a fresh take on the traditional concert experience. Guests were taken on a journey of musical discovery, with a repertoire exploring themes of dreams, hope, and spirituality.
The evening began with a stunning atmospheric solo performance by Jonathan Leibovitz, who played a Chinese folk song, Xiǎo hé tǎng shuǐ (Flowing River), from the top of the Sheldonian. Many audience members, still immersed in the calm of the earlier breathing exercises, kept their eyes closed, enhancing the meditative atmosphere.
This tranquil moment was followed by an energetic duo performance on violins from Elena Urioste and Savitri Grier, who performed Jessie Montgomery’s vibrant composition, Musings for two violins. Rosalind Ventris (viola) joined the stage for a beautiful rendition of Persian folk songs, Agar yār-ī-manī and Bodo bodo bodo, newly arranged by Kaleidoscope founder Tom Poster.
The mood shifted to a more reflective tone as Laura van der Heijden (cello) joined for Beethoven’s emotional String Quartet in A minor, Op. 132. Composed as a gesture of gratitude following a period of serious illness, the piece conveyed deep emotions of relief, and appreciation for health and for life.
The concert concluded with a captivating quintet performance of The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind, a work that traces the history of Judaism and explores themes of language, memory, and identity. The piece, a moving exploration of cultural and spiritual history, brought the evening to a powerful close.
