Dr. Emily Isaacson With Her Son, Last Year.

TE DEUM, by composer Arvo Part, will be perfomred on Friday, November 4, at the First Parish Church, 425 Congress Street, Portland, starting at 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm.  The performance will occur during Portland’s First Friday Art Walk.  There will be a second performance on Sunday, November 6th at Studzinski Hall, Bowdoin College, Brunswick.  It is presented by Classical Uprising, Dr. Emily Isaacson, Conductor and Artistic Director.   Admission is free.

Although Te Deum, features over 70 musicians, Part’s focus is on using sound to amplify silence and embrace stasis,.  “Like meditation or yoga to enter Part’s music is to commit one self to sitting with your inner world,” said Dr. Isaacson. “It’s an antitoxin to the pace of the modern world.”  Part, was born in Estoria, and is 87 years old.

The National Endowment for the Arts 2012 General Social Survey found that a third of people who do not attend live music performances want to but are prevented from doing so because of the demands of parenthood.  Created by professional conductor and mother of two, Emily Isaacson, helps overcome this barrier by offering free babysitting so parents can experience live classical music without disruption.  Childen are provided with snacks, games and babysitters while adults enjoy an uninterrupted experience with inspiring music.  “When you attend a performance, you secure a space without to-do lists and notifications,” explains Isaacson.  “By offering caregivers the luxuries of sustained stillness and heartfelt music, we hope to provide a refuge to recuperate.”

These events are free of charge, but capacity will be monitored and pre-registration is recommended.  Please go to Evenbrite to register.

Dr. Emily Isaacson has taught at Clark University and the University of Illinois.  She currently teaches at Bowdoin College.  Dr. Isaacson lives in Portland with her husband and their two children.

For more background information on Classical Uprising, please visit post herein dated June 11, 2021, “The Fairy Queen” in East Bayside.