Oboist Kathleen McNerney and Violinist Dean Stein, Artistic Directors of VentiCordi Chamber Music, collaborate in this diverse and extraordinary program with their colleagues at Bates. Music for winds, strings and voice by Dorothy Rudd Moore, Margaret Brouwer, Bohuslav Martinu and more.

Composers have always been, and continue to be, inspired by great works of poetry and literature; this concert explores the interplay of poetry and music as viewed through the lens of Justice. The event’s title, “Poetic Justice,” is intentionally vague, which enables the listener to come to their own conclusions regarding ‘Justice’ as it pertains to their own lives and the lives of others. In this instance, it can apply to Brouwer’s poems that reference the cruelties of war and violence. Or, to the young black composer, Dorothy Rudd Moore, struggling to have her works played. Justice can also refer to the meteoric rise of composer Dorothy Howell, once dubbed the “English Strauss,” whose career and trajectory suffered a serious setback with the onset of World War II.

There is currently a marvelous awakening occurring in the world of the arts. An awakening that gives us a glimpse of a world that is more inclusive, embraces diversity, and recognizes the work of women, people of color and other underrepresented minorities; VentiCordi is proud to be a part of this awakening.