Process and Performance: VOICES

ABB’s Process and Performance series announces VOICES, a collaboration with Berkshire Music School, Choices Mentoring Initiative, and BeatNest.

Isaiah Poetry

Under the direction of Dr. Bile, four Choices mentees wrote poems about life in the Berkshires, which we are recording and weaving into a musical score. Here, Isaiah Oduro is recording his poem Day at the Club with BeatNest owner and music producer Geoffrey Carter.

Other poems to be recorded include:

• Whispers of the Berkshires by Alexander Rodriguez

• Rinks, Lanes, and Lost Days by Ozryel Scipio

• Echoes of Berkshire Mall by Omaree Scipio

Choreographers for VOICES include Ruslan Sprague, Kareem Best, Sarah Klok, and Rowan Young.

The mission of the Choices Mentoring Initiative is to build relationships that connect young people to themselves, their families, and their communities with learned skills that increase the feeling of value and inclusion, mutual respect, and self-identity. We work with youth to develop an understanding of themselves through the traversal of knowledge and skills to nurture their self-situation and identity.

Process and Performance  is a performing  arts project led by professionals that provides a platform for artistic collaboration resulting in new works. Berkshire Civic Ballet, Berkshire Music School,  and Choices Mentoring Initiative share in the mission to build a network of support for a diverse community of creatives- young and old- to learn more about themselves and each other, and to share cultural influences that build a sense of value, inclusion, and  respect. Bringing together a diverse community to learn skills to work together in the creation of new works of art is a key building block in strengthening a community. 

Process and Performance is an investment in the future growth of our community as a place where all voices and forms of artistic expression are welcomed and celebrated. But for this mission to have staying power the anchors which provide the access around which growth is sustained need support. Our partners are mainstays in the Berkshires with long traditions of providing excellent training and performance experiences. This funding will provide the seeds for us to flourish. 

Made possible by funding from the Mass Council on the Arts and Cultural Resources Foundation.