Palaver Strings Explores ‘Collective Memory’ February 3 at the BMC Playing Instruments Made by Brattleboro Craftsman

The Brattleboro Music Center’s Season Guest Series once again welcomes Palaver Strings Friday, February 3. Performers will be playing on instruments made by Brattleboro master craftsman Douglas Cox.

The group’s 7:30 p.m. concert, titled “Collective Memory,” will explore the connection between our lives today and our roots, traditions, and collective memory. This program features music by contemporary composers in dialogue with tradition, including Terry Riley, William Grant Still, Aleksandra Vrebalov, and Hamza el Din, as well as Croatian folksong arrangements by Lysander Jaffe.

The group’s instruments include Cox’s 1,000th instrument made in over 50 years of craftsmanship. Op. 1000 is modeled after Guarneri “del Gesú”‘s “Leduc” violin.  The other Cox instruments being played are inspired by the work of Lorenzo Storioni and Domenico Montagnana.

Palaver Strings is a musician-led string ensemble and nonprofit organization based in Portland, ME. Founded in 2014, Palaver has established itself as a forward-thinking ensemble whose mission is to strengthen and inspire community through music. In a musician-led model, Palaver’s musicians share artistic and administrative leadership, guided by a passion for engaging new audiences, addressing social justice issues, and amplifying underrepresented voices. Each year, Palaver presents a full series of live performances featuring diverse musical programming, cross-genre projects, and community collaborations.

Performers include Brianna Fischler, Melody Giron, Ryan Shannon, and Sophia Szokolay.