Paul Cuffee students have been invited to take part in a unique opportunity to combine visual arts with music. The
project is the brainchild of Alexey Shabalin, conductor and director of the Rhode Island Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. His goal is to have the students produce art that best compliments the feeling and tone of the orchestra’s music in an upcoming performance in January, combining the auditory with the visual to create a greater artistic experience.
Shabalin came to Paul Cuffee School and talked to the students about his idea and gave the class a brief introduction to Russian culture and folklore through art. He also showed the paintings that inspired Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition,” the work the youth orchestra will be performing. He talked about how each painting evokes a feeling that the composer tried to capture. Shabalin wants the students to reverse the process and create art reflecting the energy and tones of the music.
PCS Families Can Attend January 18 Performance for Free
Artwork created by PCS students in grades 5-12 will be displayed on a screen while the youth orchestra performs. The performance will be held on January 18, 2015, at 3:00 pm at Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium in Providence. The show is free to all Paul Cuffee students and their families.
Photo caption: RI Youth Philharmonic Orchestra director Alexey Shabalin plays a Mussorgsky piece to give students inspiration for the art/music collaboration project.