On Thursday, June 1, 2023, the «follow your art» gallery invites you to the first exhibition of the summer season, titled «Fragments of Kythera.» The exhibition features artworks by 10 members of the Allcomers String Orchestra, created primarily using natural materials from Kapsali.
The poster for this year’s exhibition was created by the group and depicts elements connected to their stay on the island of Kythira: the stone floor in the studio in Varda that they use as a workshop, and small leaves and bamboo fragments arranged on a musical staff—symbolizing the beginning of a musical composition.
The Allcomers Orchestra is a multinational ensemble whose members this year come from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, and Norway. It has been visiting the island for the past 18 years for a week of rehearsals, culminating in a public concert at the end of their stay. Rehearsals take place in the mornings and evenings throughout the week at the Zeidoros Amphitheater. This year’s final concert will be held at the Association in Chora on Saturday, June 3, at 8 p.m. For two of the musical pieces, the Allcomers Orchestra will be accompanied by members of the Kythira Community String Ensemble, which was founded by Allcomers Music in 2019. On Wednesday, May 31, at 8 p.m., at the Philharmonic Hall in Potamos, the group’s teachers will perform a concert featuring a remarkable chamber music program. Florence Cooke and Danaï Loukadi on violin, Ruth Gibson on viola, and Abel Selacoe on cello are musicians who have earned distinction both in Great Britain and internationally.
The Allcomers Orchestra initiative grew out of Chris Shurety’s work with the East London Late Starters orchestra, which he founded in 1983. Recognizing self-expression through music as a fundamental human need, the goal was, and remains, to allow anyone to participate in the group as an active musician, and to achieve this goal, structured string instrument instruction is provided. The Kythira Community String Ensemble was founded with exactly the same goals and, consequently, is open to everyone who lives and works in Kythira.
Allcomers String Orchestra Art Team
Patricia d’Ardenne, Natalie Bradford, Eleanor Eddison, Jill Graham, Lois Hanney, Adrienne Harris, Liz Herbert, Peter Kenyon, Sue Morgan, Gwen Ovshinsky, Heidi Siegel, Chris Shurety
Opening Ceremony: Thursday 1 June 2023 , time 21:00
from 1/6 up to 10/6/23
PRESS RELEASE IN ENGLISH
Fragments of Kythera
Art exhibition by members of the Allcomers String Orchestra
Patricia d’Ardenne, Natalie Bradford, Eleanor Eddison, Jill Graham, Lois Hanney, Adrienne Harris, Liz Herbert, Peter Kenyon, Sue Morgan, Gwen Ovshinsky, Heidi Siegel, Chris Shurety
Opening this Thursday, the 1stst June 2023 at 9:00 p.m.
The exhibition runs through the 10thth June
“Follow your art” gallery invites you to the opening of the first of its summer exhibitions. “Fragments of Kythera” presents a wide range of works created by 10 members of the Allcomers String Orchestra, who worked primarily with materials found lying around in Kapsali.
The exhibition poster, created by the group, depicts elements related to their stay on the island of Kythera: the stone floor in the studio in Vardas, which they use as an art studio, along with discarded bamboo fencing arranged in the shape of a musical staff, symbolizing the beginning of a musical composition.
The Allcomers Orchestra is a multinational ensemble whose members this year come from the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Norway. For the past 18 years, it has organized a week of rehearsals in preparation for a public concert on the Saturday at the end of their stay. Rehearsals are held in the mornings and evenings throughout the week at the Zeidoros Amphitheater. This year’s final concert will take place at Syndesmos in Chora, starting at 8:00 p.m. For two of the pieces, the Allcomers Orchestra will be joined by members of the Kythira Community String Ensemble, founded by Allcomers Music in 2019. On Wednesday, the 31stst On May at 8:00 p.m., at the Philarmoniki in Potamos, there will be a concert performed by the instructors of the Allcomers Orchestra; Florence Cooke and Danaï Loukadi (violins), Ruth Gibson (viola), and Abel Selacoe (cello). We promise a stunning program of chamber music performed by some of Europe’s finest musicians.
The Allcomers Orchestra initiative grew out of Chris Shurety’s involvement with the East London Late Starters Orchestra, which he founded in 1983. Recognizing music-making as a fundamental human need, the goal was (and remains) to enable anyone to participate in music as an active musician—a goal achieved by providing structured instruction in string instruments. The Kythera Community String Ensemble was established with precisely the same goals and, accordingly, is open to all those living and working on Kythera.
