Fostering community through chamber music, Convergence Ensemble provides welcoming, accessible, and exceptional quality music experiences for audiences, educational institutions, and neighborhood organizations throughout New England. Rachel Goodwin, founder and former Artistic Director of Ashmont Hill Chamber Music, hailed by the press “for her tradition of gutsy, risk-taking programming" has join
ed forces with a core group of long-time musical collaborators to create the Convergence Ensemble.The ensemble’s name reflects its vision of drawing upon diverse perspectives to create transformative experiences for audiences. Thus, Convergence Ensemble’s challenging and compelling concerts will feature new music and seldom-heard instrumental and vocal works, as well as beloved classics of chamber music literature. As Artistic Director Rachel Goodwin puts it, “The incredibly rich world of chamber music literature has only begun to be mined, and in this globalized 21st century it illuminates diverse cultures ranging from Cambodia to Latin America, and brings to light the voices of women and other undiscovered composers.” Taking advantage of the enormous resources of the Boston musical community, Convergence Ensemble will also provide an opportunity for extraordinary young performers to perform alongside well-known musicians. This diverse group of musicians, including strings, percussion, oboe, organ, spoken word and classical voice, will adapt flexibly according to the instrumentation and venue for any given performance, and some concerts will integrate poetry, literature or dance with music. Convergence Ensemble is committed to engaging local audiences, inspiring local pride, and strengthening the connections between diverse neighborhoods in Greater Boston. Founding Convergence musicians have over the past years been touched and inspired by their work with children in interactive performance programs at youth organizations in Dorchester and South Boston and, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, at Boston Public high schools. Convergence Ensemble will build on this ability to develop educational outreach programs that have a long-term, meaningful impact on Boston’s young people, relating chamber music to the personal and academic lives of students through history, poetry, literature, dance, and visual art.
