SoundS of Community:

Welcome to a Community of Sound:

 Imagine a performance that would involve professional musicians, children, teenagers, senior citizens, adults with developmental disabilities, and physically challenged individuals performing choreography in their wheelchairs.

A performance where no more emphasis would be placed on Yo-Yo Ma’s Stradivarius Cello as would be placed on pizzicato rubber bands and balloon bassoons.

 Imagine an opportunity for an adult living with developmental disabilities to play an instrument he or she built from scratch as part of a full production on a stage with lights in front of an audience.

 This is the ultimate goal of The Sound of Community project.  2009 USA Artists award recipient (Walker Fellow) Cyro Baptista has called upon his close friend and musical collaborators Kenny Wolleson and Brian Marsella to help realize this vision.  Baptista, Wolleson and Marsella have worked together for many years on various projects including John Zorn’s Electric Masada, numerous movie soundtracks. Brian Marsella was an integral part of Cyro’s ensembles Banquet of The Spirits and Beat The Donkey.

The Sound of Community is a project of true inclusion, where underserved members of the community would collaborate together. Each participant will be made to feel that music isn’t something only created on big stages and fancy recording studios – but rather can be a part of their everyday life as a ritual and a means of bringing people together.

 It’s with all this in mind that this initiative was created.

It all started in 2009 when Cyro became an “American States Artist - USA - Fellow”. During the following year USA Artists created a kick-starter, through which funds were raised for the Sound of Community project.

Most Recent Workshops:

Workshops Photos: