Providence composer Kirsten Volness certainly keeps herself busy. This year, she became the inaugural Composer-in-Residence at the Music Mansion, or more formally the Mary K. Hail Music Mansion, a converted home on Providence’s College Hill that has been open to the public for concerts since 1948.

“This is a trial run,” says Volness, a Minnesota native who moved to Rhode Island in 2008. The Music Mansion’s board of directors is prepping the venue for a new generation of music lovers, performing physical upgrades on the building so that future Composers-in-Residence can actually live on site.

Part of Volness’s role is to curate the venue’s new First Fridays series, and she’s put together a diverse lineup ranging from a mixed string/wind quartet to solo percussion, a clarinet/marimba duo, and even Irish folk.

So far, the outreach seems to be working. “It’s the first program I’ve ever done where the email signup sheet was totally full at the end,” she says. At a recent performance by Boston-based percussionist Marisa Finkelmeier, half of the crowd raised their hand when asked if this was their first visit to the Music Mansion.

But the residency is just one of Volness’ many projects.

Verdant Vibes performs Julie Barwick’s “Shroud” at The Music Mansion | February 2017

With partner Jacob Richman, she also co-directs Verdant Vibes, a new music ensemble that’s now in its second season. Each year they hold an open call for composers. Volness and Richman charge no fee to submit—a rarity in the music world—so every year there’s a deluge of scores to sort through. But the ensemble remains adamant that the submission process should foster a diversity of voices, including those who might feel shut out of more traditional, more expensive outlets.

Earlier this month, Verdant Vibes threw its annual benefit concert, and right now they’re running an IndieGogo campaign to raise funds for their next season.

Volness’s enthusiasm for experimentation is paying off. How many other composers can claim that multiple beers have been brewed in their honor? That’s what happened last spring, when Slumbrew developed two different IPAs based on her compositions.

She and Richman are also music directors of Tenderloin Opera Company, a musical and theater group that advocates for the homeless. Started in San Francisco, the idea moved to Providence six years ago when founder Erik Ehn started teaching at Brown. The company is composed largely of homeless individuals living in downtown Providence, and they perform their off-kilter pop songs regularly at soup kitchens, protests, and memorial services.

How does Volness manage all these projects while teaching a full course load at the University of Rhode Island, giving private lessons in piano and composition every Thursday, performing several times a year with a New York ensemble, and actually finding the time and mental energy to write her own music?

“I focus on whatever’s due next,” she says modestly.

Kirsten Volness | Photo by Jacob Richman

Kirsten Volness — composer, pianist, teacher, producer
Providence, Rhode Island
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Music Mansion – venue
Providence, Rhode Island
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Verdant Vibes – music ensemble
Providence, Rhode Island
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Tenderloin Opera Company – musical and theater group
Providence, Rhode Island
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The post Staying Composed appeared first on Take Magazine.

Focusing on being an open space for all types of music genres, performance art, community events, and more, Aurora seeks to capture the creativity and energy that makes Providence vibrant in an accessible space for everyone.

Located on Westminster Street in the hub of downtown Providence RI, Aurora resides in the previous home of both The Roots Cafe and The Providence Black Repertory Company. The space consists of a full bar, main stage, and ample seating and standing room accompanied by a cozy lounge area.

Since their opening in the spring of 2014, Aurora has made a concerted effort to continue the previous inhabitants’ tradition of diverse programming and community engagement. The venue has quickly grown in popularity due to its being operated largely by Providence locals, hosting a variety of events appealing to multiple music, art, and cultural scenes, and striving to be an inclusive space for all identities.

Aurora | Photo by Justin Case

Aurora focuses on generating a calendar packed with events ranging from live music of all genres, to jazz and salsa nights, performance art, dance parties, comedy shows, movie screenings, and basically anything that is going to get people out and moving in a community-focused environment. While the venue has become a popular spot for the local punk and metal scenes in Providence, the space is welcoming to all music genres and types of events.

“We’re 100% involved in our community,” says Aurora Booking and Operations Manager Jenny Young. “We wouldn’t be where we were if it wasn’t for our friends playing here and putting on events. Providence is such a small community. When we first started and people didn’t really know where we were or anything, we were able to get local support by having ‘on the fringe’ events, stuff that would usually happen in more experimental DIY spaces. Having that connection with the local scene has helped us gain acceptance from the community.”

Aurora also focuses on being a safe and creative space for the queer community, hosting events like “Dyke Night” and “Gay Goth Night,” a sister event of a monthly queer and goth dance party in Montreal of the same name.

Aurora stage | Girls Rock! RI | Photo by James Latowski

Young holds the venue’s cover-nights that she organizes—where local bands each play up to two songs of a designated artist—especially close to her heart. This year’s cover-nights included music by Tom Waits, P.J. Harvey, and Fleetwood Mac. Aurora partnered with Providence local organization Girls Rock! RI on two of the shows. “It was a really fun event,” she says. “Everyone knew the songs and was jamming together. It had to be one of my favorites of the year.”

Upcoming events at Aurora include “Network and Chill: Fly Sweater Party” on December 14th, a sweater-themed networking party, and the second installment of “Gay Goth Night” on December 16th.

Keep up with what’s happening at Aurora on Facebook and Twitter

Top image Rafay Rashid of Ravi Shavi at Aurora | Photo by James Latowski

The post Aurora Catalyzes Variety and Community in Providence appeared first on Take Magazine.