Nelson Fusion Project
Nelson County has a rich local cultural and ethnic dance, choir, music and performing arts tradition. Our Nelson Fusion Project pulls together local performing artists from a variety of genre to merge the sights and sounds unique to Nelson County into relevant innovative orchestral music events through conductor created unique orchestral arrangements which are performed by the orchestra and guest performers together at our concerts. We’ve featured belly, ballroom and swing dance, RVCC’s Tae Kwon Do classes performing martial art formations to the Tae Kwon Do anthem, Tye River Elementary School’s music classes' Spring PTO Multicultural Night choir and dance concert, Rockfish Presbyterian Church men’s choir, Oakhill Baptist Choir, the Music Magic SEP, and a local poet and folk musician. Last fall we partnered the Further Ado Foundation to offer as an additional prize, an original orchestral arrangement performance, to the winner of the 13th Annual Song Writer’s contest held in October at Rapunzel’s Coffee House in Lovingston. That performance occurred at our May 23, 2016 concert at RVCC.
This effort to collaborate is labor intensive and takes time, because most musicians and performing artists in our community play and perform by ear while the orchestra is dependent on written music. To create a collaborative piece, an orchestral arrangement to accommodate our instrumentation is made by our conductor who starts the process using a written version of the music (usually piano) with melody and chords. Once each part and a score is written, the arrangement is done, and the orchestra learns the music. A recording is made with which the collaborating group can then rehearse. Finally, our two groups get together for 1 – 2 rehearsals before performing at the final concert.
This effort to collaborate is labor intensive and takes time, because most musicians and performing artists in our community play and perform by ear while the orchestra is dependent on written music. To create a collaborative piece, an orchestral arrangement to accommodate our instrumentation is made by our conductor who starts the process using a written version of the music (usually piano) with melody and chords. Once each part and a score is written, the arrangement is done, and the orchestra learns the music. A recording is made with which the collaborating group can then rehearse. Finally, our two groups get together for 1 – 2 rehearsals before performing at the final concert.
Past Fusion Projects
2017
Dec: Voices from our community (an open invitation to all) - Messiah No 44: Halleluja singalong
May: Crozet Community Handbell Choir
Mar: Sydney Wilkins, vocalist
McGahyesville United Methodist Chancel Choir
2016
Nov: Joe Tucker-vibraphonist, Bob Bowen- bass, and Stephan LaRue-dummer, professional jazz musicians
Brian Roberts, Guest Narrator, "Sullivan Ballou's Letter to Sarah" while NCCO performed Ashoken Farewell
June: Meet the Orchestra at the Nelson County Public Library
May: John Kelly, guitarist - winner of Rapunzel's Further Ado Foundation 13th Annual Song Writer’s Contest
Mar: Oakhill Baptist Choir
2015
Dec: Larkspur Flute Quartet & Wandering Minstrels String Quartet
May:Philip Clark, Violin soloist
Tye River Elementary School’s music classes' Spring PTO Multicultural Night choir and dance concert
Mar: Rockfish Presbyterian Church men’s choir
Peter Hunter, Folk Songs of Somerset
2014
Dec: Koryo Tae Kwon Do of RVCC - Tae Kwon Do National Anthem
May: International Folk Dance class from RVCC - Ma na 'avu and Troika
Charlottesville Tango - Alp Isin and Lou Hanson - Por Una Cabeza
Ilia and Thalia Kowalzik, Persian dancers - Persian Dance
Dec: Voices from our community (an open invitation to all) - Messiah No 44: Halleluja singalong
May: Crozet Community Handbell Choir
Mar: Sydney Wilkins, vocalist
McGahyesville United Methodist Chancel Choir
2016
Nov: Joe Tucker-vibraphonist, Bob Bowen- bass, and Stephan LaRue-dummer, professional jazz musicians
Brian Roberts, Guest Narrator, "Sullivan Ballou's Letter to Sarah" while NCCO performed Ashoken Farewell
June: Meet the Orchestra at the Nelson County Public Library
May: John Kelly, guitarist - winner of Rapunzel's Further Ado Foundation 13th Annual Song Writer’s Contest
Mar: Oakhill Baptist Choir
2015
Dec: Larkspur Flute Quartet & Wandering Minstrels String Quartet
May:Philip Clark, Violin soloist
Tye River Elementary School’s music classes' Spring PTO Multicultural Night choir and dance concert
Mar: Rockfish Presbyterian Church men’s choir
Peter Hunter, Folk Songs of Somerset
2014
Dec: Koryo Tae Kwon Do of RVCC - Tae Kwon Do National Anthem
May: International Folk Dance class from RVCC - Ma na 'avu and Troika
Charlottesville Tango - Alp Isin and Lou Hanson - Por Una Cabeza
Ilia and Thalia Kowalzik, Persian dancers - Persian Dance