S T E W A R D NEWS
has been inspiring the world ever since. While here at
Steward, the Orchestra performed on the stage of the
Robins Theatre for Lower, Middle, and Upper School
students, and the energy in the room was palpable. Ms.
Rios led the group in a rendition of Coldplay’s “Viva
La Vida” on her violin made from a pizza pan and a
fork, followed by Ezequiel Takebe on a harp made from
materials from his childhood swing set.
Mr. Chávez invited young Spartans up on stage to share
in the creation of music from recycled materials as
well. Kindergartener Mason Wingfield got a chance
to play “New York, New York” on Ms. Rios’s violin with
help from Ms. Rios herself, and second-grader Keegan
Turnage played a set of drums made from discarded
x-ray film. “In order to be a good musician,” Mr. Chávez
told the Lower Schoolers, “You also have to be a good
human being.”
After a full day of performances and visits to
classrooms, the Orchestra ended their time on
Steward’s campus in the BIL at the Musical Maker Fair
with 200 members of the Richmond and Steward
communities. Maker Fairs are a near-constant feature
of Visiting Innovator events at Steward, and always
focus on the concepts of making, technology, and
sustainability in a way that intersects with the Visiting
Innovator’s story.
At the Musical Maker Fair, one of the featured activities
was taking a piano apart and learning how it works
from the inside out. Members of the Orchestra also
walked around with their handmade instruments and
attendees were invited to touch and see them up close.
Impromptu jam sessions broke out between Steward’s
music teachers and the Paraguayan musicians. “The
energy was amazing,” Ms. Jamieson said. It was clear
that everyone in the room at the BIL and the Robins
Theatre during the Orchestra’s two performances could
feel that same energy, including Mr. Chavez and the
Orchestra itself.
“While performing at Steward,” Mr. Chávez said, “I
could feel the truth of the message that music can unite
people across different cultures and communities. In
a time like this when the world can feel really divided,
it felt, in that room, like we could be unified through
music.”
Before the Orchestra left Richmond, they were able
to share their music and their inspiring story with the
Greater Richmond community. On November 15,
as a result of a collaboration between Steward, the
Richmond Symphony, Richmond Memorial Health
Foundation (RMHF), and the City of Richmond, students
from community and area schools were invited to
attend a performance with the Recycled Orchestra
at the Dominion Energy Center in the Carpenter
Theatre free of charge. Together with Ms. Jamieson, the
Richmond City Council’s 7th District representative Dr.
Cynthia Newbille and Director for Arts and Equity at
RMHF Kendra Jones opened up the program, which was
attended by over 1,300 people.
“This is an extraordinary group of people,” Dr. Newbille
said. “The opportunity for you all to share and learn
from each other is really important for us.”
“While performing at Steward,” Mr. Chávez said, “I could feel the truth
of the message that music can unite people across different cultures and
communities. In a time like this when the world can feel really divided, it
felt, in that room, like we could be unified through music.”
Ms. Jones echoed Dr. Newbille's sentiments, saying,
“Our desire today is for you all to leave here aware of
the hope and the creative possibilities that exist and
persist in all of our circumstances.”
Standing up there with Dr. Newbille and Ms. Jones and
presenting the Orchestra’s story to this community
of kids was a powerful moment for Ms. Jamieson.
“All of us are constantly receiving a lot of negative
messaging about the future of our world,” she said. “But
we [at Steward] believe that the world’s problems are
opportunities for these kids to make a difference. I hope
[the Orchestra’s story] inspired a lot of kids and showed
them that anything is possible.”
Following a screening of a portion of the documentary
Landfill Harmonic, the Recycled Orchestra performed
a few musical numbers and then invited students
from schools all over Richmond, including Steward, to
come up on the stage and play one last piece together.
The young musicians played and sang “Stand by Me,”
arranged and directed by Lower School music teacher
Samson Trinh.
“We all have different stories, backgrounds, and
tastes,” said Mr. Chávez. “But we are all human beings,
and music allows us to connect. We can still create
something beautiful. That’s why we love music – it
builds bridges.”
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