Life These Days

04/21/2021

Introducing our third installment of this collaborative project between The Listening, Inc. and Opera on the James. Made possible with support from WordWorks, Pacific Life and more donors, this video represents the efforts of our community to give voice to what our young people were experiencing over the last year. Check it out!

04/14/2021

Introducing our third installment of this collaborative project between The Listening, Inc. and Opera on the James. Made possible with support from WordWorks, Pacific Life and more donors, this video represents the efforts of our community to give voice to what our young people were experiencing over the last year. Check it out!

04/14/2021

Featuring a performance by Brittney Redler, enjoy this second installment of our Life These Days project, a collaboration between The Listening, Inc. and Opera on the James! This project was made possible with support from WordWorks!

04/07/2021

Brought to you by The Listening, Inc. & Opera on the James!

04/06/2021

It's been over a year since we first embarked on this project, and we are excited to finally release our Life These Days project!

Three amazing videos will be premiered throughout the month of April, featuring the words and thoughts from local young poets and the talents of renowned classical composers. Last year, as the world was forced to face a reckoning on many levels, these artists found space to tell their stories in an innovative new way!

Tag a poetry or classical music lover, and come back each Wednesday in April for this collaborative fusion project from The Listening, Inc. and Opera on the James , supported by WordWorks !

04/06/2021

Brought to you by The Listening, Inc. & Opera on the James!

09/17/2020

A short essay I wrote about our collaboration with The Listening, Inc. and our joint project

At its best, opera represents collaboration and shared vision in its purest sense. And you don’t need a giant opera house or a big budget to see that magic, to be, in the words of Lin Manuel Miranda, in the room where it happens. Even if that room is on Zoom.

09/15/2020

Meet Savannah and Marquis. They are co-authors of one on the beautiful poems that are part of our series, . Zach Redler is composing the music.

Savannah
1. I am 13 and in the 8th grade.
2. I want to be an artist because art is fun and can change people’s perspectives on different things.
3. I favorite is Supercuts by Jermey Zucker. His music is very relatable.
4. I get through hard days by listening to music and drawing.
5. I Appreciate Zachs personality. He is open-minded and chill.

Marquis
1. I am 16 and in the 10th grade.
2. I want to be a video game designer because I’ve always enjoyed playing video games and I’d like to use my creativity to make games that kids would enjoy.
3. I like Welcome to my House by Flo Rida because it was a Wrestle-mania theme song.
4. I get through hard days by being able to see my friends and teachers on zoom.
5. I appreciate that Zach makes us feel comfortable enough to share my honest feedback without getting upset at all.

09/04/2020

The project is about so much more than a written composition. It's about building bridges between composers and young scholars, showing the youth that their words matter, and making sure they feel connected in a season of utter disconnection.

Rox got a chance to go visit one of the scholars, Titus, today and check in on how he's doing with virtual school. THIS is what it's about. The smile on his face is absolutely what this is about. Help support Life These Days and connecting people through music by helping Opera on the James!

08/18/2020

Today we are excited to introduce Zach Redler! Get to know this amazing composer with his Q and A!

Q: When you were in middle school what were you like?

A: In middle school I spent the majority of my time either playing music, playing Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64, or aggressively skating (half pipes, skate parks, etc.). On the music side, I played piano and percussion in the school jazz band, concert band, and musical pits, I played keyboard in a Phish cover band, and studied classical piano. I loved cooked and watching the food network. I was goofy and not really athletic so I didn’t have much of a “social life” except for one really intense “girlfriend” in six grade. I spent my summers at various music camps.

Q: What was the hardest thing about middle school for you?

A: The hardest thing in middle school was feeling lost and alone. I didn’t fit in many popular or conventional boxes. I had three really close friends, but they lived far away because I went to a private school my dad taught at until 9th grade. Though I know they loved me very much, my parents worked a lot and fought with each other a lot, which took its toll. Being musically gifted only seemed to isolate me more.

Q: What was your favorite song when you were 14?

A: I was really into Tower of Power, Phish, and Dave Matthews Band when I was around 13/14. I’m not sure I had a favorite song, but anything they played, I loved.

Q: Did you already know what you wanted to be by the time you got to high school?

A: I thought I knew what I wanted to do: “Play percussion for, then conduct the New York Philharmonic”. I never thought I’d be writing operas, let alone now going back to school to get my Masters in Music Therapy.

Q: What do you appreciate about Marquis and Savannah?

A: Marquis and Savannah are so incredibly honest, compassionate, and wise. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed our time writing and collaborating together.

08/10/2020

Hey Family! Meet our 3rd group participating in Life These Days Zach Redler has the first sibling group with Savannah and Marquis! They've had their initial introduction and are ready to crank out a collaboration. We can't wait for you to meet all of them.