Experience a unique fusion of poetry, string music, and African drumming at the Maltz Performing Arts Center on Thursday, March 30 at 7:30 pm. Cleveland’s own spoken word artist Vision, Renovare Music, and drummers Ali Boyd, Rashon Blake and Derick Barnes join forces for an exploration of love, loss, and hope - pieces of life that can bring us all together. Join us for this celebration of diversity, unity, and connection.
Artist Statement from Vision
The power of life and death lies in the tongue. I use my “spoken word” poetry to give life. For years, I asked myself, “what is my contribution?” Now, I know what it is.
Putting Together the Puzzle Pieces of Life
Life brings us many different experiences, some pleasant, some not so pleasant. At the moment, we may not understand why we are having these experiences, but oftentimes, they fit together like puzzle pieces, ultimately creating this experience called life. I would like to share just a few pieces of my own puzzle. Maybe some of our pieces look the same.
Watch Vision's Poetry on YouTube: https://youtube.com/
Renovare Music
A 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Cleveland, OH, Renovare Music is a dynamic chamber ensemble that bridges divided communities and creates restorative experiences through music, stories, and conversations. Renovare has given more than 150 performances since its inception in 2018 with events as far afield as California and Vienna, whilst maintaining a primary focus on their local Northeast Ohio community.
Most of Renovare’s concerts take place in marginalized spaces (ex. prisons, homeless shelters, hospitals), while the remainder focus on connecting communities that are siloed from one another. Some of these performances feature the stories and creativity of people who are often overlooked or marginalized in the form of Documentary Songs.
Renovare’s trained Teaching Artists co-write these original songs through a highly collaborative process that empowers those whose voices go unheard. Renovare also teaches weekly classes at the Grafton Correctional Institution and the Northeast Reintegration Center in which residents learn to play the violin, viola, or cello. Renovare has had the honor of sharing stories about their work at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Oberlin Conservatory, amongst other schools.
Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube @renovaremusic or visit renovaremusic.org