Conservatory
Conservatory is a performance installation commissioned by Josefina Barcia for her Master's thesis exhibition at the Center for Curatorial Studies (CCS) at Bard College. The project was tasked with exploring potential intersections between contemporary art and classical music, represented here by the Hessel Museum, which houses the CCS, and the Bard Conservatory of Music. The installation transforms the gallery space into a library, rehearsal room, playground, beach, stage, intimate space, and exhibition area simultaneously. There, on a weekly basis, a group of six musicians from the conservatory perform a piece combining texts and actions derived from their testimonies, with the performance of a classical music repertoire (Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Fauré) and contemporary pieces (Jessie Montgomery and a percussion improvisation). The gallery audience physically engages with the installation, becoming close spectators and gaining a privileged insight into the intimacy of this group of artists, who are usually seen from afar on large stages.
Performers
Maya Yokanovich (clarinet), Yuchen Zhao (violin), Chris Nelson (violin), Juan Diego Mora (vibraphone, percussion), Esteban Ganem (percussion), Elizabeth Cherniak (violin)
Accompanying Pianists
Neilson Chen, Wang-Lin Chen
Commissioned by Josefina Barcia for CCS
Dates
From April 6 to May 28, 2024 at the Hessel Museum