Transformations In ‘Notre Dame’ And Debussy With SDMA+ And Art Of Elan

Speaker 1: 00:00 SDMA plus is the San Diego museum of arts collaborative performing arts program. Linking works from the museum's collection with local performance artists. This summer, they've launched a virtual series with instrumental musicians through art of a lawn KPBS arts editor, Julia Dixon Evans has the story on tonight's performance. Speaker 2: 00:24 [inaudible] Miguel co-founded, local music, nonprofit part of Atlanta with Kate Hatmaker nearly 15 years ago when he was part of the San Diego symphony. Miguel has since moved away and is now principal flute for the Seattle symphony, but he'll return this month virtually to perform at the SDMA plus series. Here's how it works. Performing arts organizations are tasked with interpreting works from the museum's vast collections or a current temporary exhibition. Often performances take place literally in front of the work in question like most other arts events during corn team, the project has found a new home online this summer, the STMA plus instrumental video concert series will launch a new performance every other Tuesday on the museum's YouTube channel. Miguel selected Notredame and Neo impressionist painting by Maximillian loose in the museum's permanent collection. The dab style brushstrokes wash the Paris cathedral and the busy scene with an impressionist fakeness Speaker 3: 01:19 There's enough room in his style for the viewer to actually bring the painting to life my taken. And when I look at this work is yes, the cathedral is beautiful, but I'm fascinated by this sort of the day in the life of any of those people around the cathedral around this, this landmark. And I that's the energy that I feel Speaker 2: 01:42 The vagueness of the paintings narrative also help determine McGill's musical selection. The work of composer, Claude Debussy has a dreamlike wonder that skirts the edge of clarity much like in the painting, Miguel opted for Debbie sees 1913 work for solo flute. Sarah, The piece tells the story of pan and his love for the nymph syrinx, who according to legend transformed herself into reads by the Riverside to hide from pan. When he furiously cut down every read, including Searings to make into his beloved pan fleet, he destined the nymph to forever hang from his neck. Speaker 3: 02:28 What I love about playing this particular piece syrinx is that at least enough room for me to actually mold the story as I see fit. And for you the listener too, also claim the story, even though the story Speaker 4: 02:46 Maybe most likely is very different from my perspective and yours. Speaker 2: 02:57 One of our relatively small of black classical musicians in the country, Miguel has found his own transformation during the last few months as the pandemic forces art to shift online, the current uprising and a recentered national dialogue on race has sparked a new passion in him. Speaker 3: 03:13 I realized that everything that I do and as a black classical musician specifically, I want to use everything I do, whether it's playing or speaking to effect, change, positive change. And that's what I've been doing these days, trying to make change within the classical institutions. I'm a part of trying to make change like as a mentor, Speaker 2: 03:37 He's asking organizations, including his own Seattle symphony to commit themselves, to making specific changes that will help them better serve and collaborate with their communities. Speaker 3: 03:49 This is an opportunity for larger arts organizations to make adjustments, not just because of what's happening socially in this country and around the world. Um, but even because of the virus, there's time now to come up with different plans, to make adjustments, to mission statement, to include communities that have been underserved and neglected by these art forms. Speaker 2: 04:13 The Mari Miguel performs. Debbie sees syrinx as part of STMA plus and art of Alon tonight at 6:00 PM via YouTube. Speaker 1: 04:22 That was KPBS arts editor, Julia Dixon Evans for more on the SDMA plus performance series, go to kpbs.org/arts.