Bravo Niagara! joins concert for refugees
Charity teaming up with maestro to support UN agency response to virus
Bravo Niagara! is going global for its next virtual concert.
The Niagara concert series — unable to stage shows this season because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions — has instead focused on a series of livestream events that started last week with a “We Are the World”-inspired collaboration with dozens of artists.
The next will be a team-up with violin virtuoso Maestro Shlomo Mintz to aid the UN Refugee Agency’s COVID-19 response.
“United in Music,” featuring more than 50 artists, will be livestreamed Thursday, May 28, on the UNHCR’s YouTube channels. Musicians from Toronto Symphony Orchestra and National Arts Centre Orchestra will be featured.
The shows stemmed from an invite to Mintz by Bravo Niagara! founder Alexis Spieldenner and artistic director Christine Mori to collaborate on a virtual performance of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Violins with members of different orchestras from around the world.
Each performance will be recorded by the artists in their homes.
Mintz said the virtual concert evolved from a performance simply bringing music into people’s homes during the pandemic into one raising money for humanitarian support.
“Our goal is to help raise funds for UNHCR in their efforts to support refugee families now facing the threat of COVID-19.”
The concert will include an introduction from UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo
Grandi. It’s also supported by classical singer Barbara Hendricks, UNHCR’s lifetime goodwill ambassador.
“Every dollar raised will have a life-saving impact on millions of children, women and men who have been uprooted from their homes,” she said.
Added Grandi: “This is a great example of organizations coming together creatively across the globe to support refugees.”