Acadiana Chamber Orchestra
Lafayette, Louisiana, United States | Established. Jan 01, 1984
Music
Press
The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra in Lafayette raised more than $12,000 in less than a week to support Ukrainian people who live in regions targeted by the Russian invasion.
According to Executive Director Dana Baker, the ASO has received donations from 92 people from nine cities in Louisiana, including Lafayette, Broussard, Scott, Youngsville, Arnaudville, Crowley, Kaplan, Baton Rouge, and Hammond, for a total of $12,654.48 as of Friday morning.
“The response has been so heartwarming and humbling,” Baker said. “We are going to make the first wires Friday, one short week from when we made the campaign live.” - The Acadiana Advocate
The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra and Conservatory of Music is reaching out to the community to help Ukrainian musicians who make up the symphony's family.
On Friday, ASO asked for help and support to raise funds for three Ukrainian musicians who have worked with the orchestra for several years. They say these musicians, for nearly twenty years combined, have lived, worked, spent their money, and contributed to the Acdiana community.
The families of the three musicians are in Ukraine and have made the decision to stay to fight for their land, instead of escaping to a neighboring country, they say. - KATC Channel 3
The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra on Friday launched an online fundraising initiative to support three of its musicians who are originally from Ukraine and whose families live in the regions targeted by the Russian invasion.
A post on the symphony's webisite reads: “Although our musicians are proud of their families for their strength and their courageous choice to defend their home, they are terrified for their safety.”
The donation page aims to assist the Ukrainian people through a direct contribution, according to the site. All proceeds received will be directly given to the Ukrainian National House, a nonprofit organization located on the border of Ukraine, and to the Lviv Volunteer Kitchen, an on-the-ground hub that helps to distribute meals and other humanitarian aid to those still in Ukraine. - The Acadiana Advocate
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Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
WHO WE ARE
Acadiana Symphony Orchestra was founded in Lafayette, Louisiana, in 1984, with a simple mission to inspire culture through music.
ASO performs for thousands of listeners each year through its symphonic concerts, chamber music performances, opera productions and music education programs. ASO has collaborated with a long list of distinguished guest conductors and soloists, and has been praised for its innovative programming, which combines European musical traditions with modern American repertoire including popular music, Louisiana’s unique Cajun style, jazz and Zydeco genres.
ASO oversees its own Conservatory of Music, which provides a wide range of music education programs and lessons, including a well-respected Youth and Preparatory Orchestra program.
WHY POLAND IN 2024
As a part of its 40th anniversary celebrations in May of 2024, Acadiana Chamber Orchestra will embark on a tour of Poland with an ensemble of 16 musicians, as well as guest soloist, Elizabeth Pitcairn, who in addition to being a world-renowned violin virtuoso, is widely noted for owning and performing on the legendary 1720 Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius violin.
Acadiana Chamber Orchestra is honored to have been invited to perform at the Mozart Festival in Warsaw, Poland, as well as the 62nd International Łańcut Festival near Rzeszów, in May of 2024. While in Poland, the orchestra will tour and perform in several cities, with the goal of creating a musical exchange of cultures, and stewarding future collaboration. The repertoires at these performances will include a suite of traditional Acadian songs and dances, especially arranged for this tour - in hopes of introducing Louisiana's unique and colorful musical culture to other places beyond our borders.
The need for building these cross-cultural bonds has been emphasized more recently by the war in Ukraine, which has caused devastating economic, physical, mental, and spiritual repercussions for Ukrainians and their neighbors. Ukraine needs our support, and the unprecedented cooperation between Poland and the USA in response has been heartwarming and encouraging. We hope to use this musical tour to demonstrate our solidarity with both Ukraine and Poland, and to cultivate good will with its neighboring allies, through the power and joy of music.
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