The Benedetti Foundation Presents "The Global Violin Sessions"

Violinist Nicola Benedetti will host another interactive online initiative from November 16 to December 13

Presented by The Benedetti Foundation, the Global Violin Sessions: A Cultural Exchange Part One, will take participants on a trip around the world through the eyes of the violin, in a tale of discovery, globalism and cultural exchange.

The initiative will explore four countries in three weeks: America, Hungary, Finland and Serbia. Each week, two violinists will give participants insight into a different musical tradition through a combination of live and pre-recorded lessons.

The sessions will feature a tune by trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis, which will then be passed around to the seven violinists. Each violinist will make it their own in the context of their chosen musical tradition. Benedetti will start by playing the piece in its simplest form.

America – Week One

• Tessa Lark – Bluegrass tradition
• Mark and Maggie O’Connor - American folk fiddle tradition

 Hungary – Week Two

• Roby Lakatos – classical, jazz and folk idioms of Hungary
• Geza Hosszu-Legocky – Hungarian gypsy-Roma traditions and he will be joined by his award-winning group the Five-DeViLs

Finland & Serbia – Week Three

• Pekka Kuusisto – inspired by the traditional music of Finland
• Nemanja Radulovic – inspired by the Eastern European folk tradition

"Music has always shown us the similarities and diversities of the human story with nuance, clarity and accuracy," Nicola Benedetti said this week.

"It gently but undeniably states a worldview that requires no rebuffing. There is space in the world for us all. There is space for our individualities and particulars and differences. We are all allowed to be who we are and have love and acceptance of that identity. But how often do we demonstrate acceptance, curiosity and openness towards the story and cultures of others? What happens if you take one tune and send it around the world? The Global Violin is about to start to find out and we can’t wait!" she said.