Each of the 18 musicians in Austin Unconducted shares the role of directing, unlike in a traditional orchestra. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe all have the responsibility of leading, following and communicating in a totally different way than when there\u2019s one person up there just beating a baton,\u201d Fuentes said.<\/p>\n
That spirit of collaboration extends beyond the stage. Now in their fourth season, Austin Unconducted\u2019s mission is to build community through their inclusive, immersive concert experiences.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe came together because we love orchestral music,\u201d co-founder and bassist Andrea Beyer said, \u201cbut we could see that most people think of orchestra as something that isn\u2019t for them. It feels stuffy or it feels elitist. Instead of just playing music and kind of throwing it at the audience and saying, \u2018I like this, so I hope you do, too,\u2019 we wanted to bring people in through a story.\u201d<\/p>\n
The orchestra collaborates with poets, painters, musicians or community members and builds the musical program in response to the lived experiences of the partner.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u200aEvery one is super different, and each time we’re creating a through line or sharing a theme that we think will really connect with people,\u201d Beyer said. \u201cI’ve heard from people that they never go to classical music shows and this is something new to them, and they didn’t know if they would like it, but they’ve had a good time.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Hyde Park Storytelling producer Matthew Stoner said he was interested in combining orchestral music with live storytelling.<\/p>\n
Hyde Park Storytelling producer Matt Stoner approached the orchestra after attending some Austin Unconducted events. He was intrigued by the idea of combining orchestral music with live storytelling.<\/p>\n
\u201c[They\u2019re] trying to make classical music accessible,\u201d he said, \u201cand our show is really about, how do we make storytelling accessible to people, for both the audience and the performers?\u201d<\/p>\n
Stoner started the series 11 years ago in a backyard in Hyde Park, and it has since grown into an outdoor event at Batch Craft Beer & Kolaches.<\/p>\n
The upcoming concerts will feature three storytellers, each paired with a musical piece that explores their story\u2019s emotional arc. There\u2019s also an opening selection performed by the full orchestra. The program includes Suite for String Orchestra by Frank Bridge, Plan & Elevation by composer Caroline Shaw, Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber, and an orchestral arrangement of Imogen Heap\u2019s Hide and Seek.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u200aIt’s really such a natural collaboration,\u201d Beyer said. \u201cHyde Park Storytelling and Austin Unconducted are both so focused on creating community and they’re all just about people and telling stories, just using different ways to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without a conductor, the musicians communicate through the way they breathe and the way they move their bodies or instruments.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting small usually means playing quieter,\u201d Fuentes said. \u201cGetting big, opening your chest and expanding usually means playing louder. It is a lot with the face. There’s a lot of just full-blown eye contact across the orchestra. It’s always the most amazing thing ever when you just look up and someone’s looking right at you.\u201d<\/p>\n
This concert is especially meaningful for Fuentes. He\u2019s not only playing in the orchestra, but he\u2019s also one of the three storytellers. His story reflects on a difficult turning point in his life.<\/p>\n
\u201cNovember is the one-year anniversary of when my story happened,\u201d he said. \u201cGetting ready for the November concert last year, I was struggling with really bad depression. My story is about going to the mental hospital and coming out just a totally new person and just how helpful, how scary it was for me, but how beautiful of a time I had there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stoner and Beyer are eager to see how audiences respond to the fusion of narrative and music.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited to hear how people experience the stories and the music together,\u201d Stoner said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have so many voices coming together,\u201d Beyer added. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to see it all take shape in rehearsal and then share it with Austin.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hyde Park Storytelling and Austin Unconducted have ticketed performances Nov. 6 and 7 at KMFA\u2019s Draylen Mason Music Studio and a free outdoor show Nov. 8 at Batch. <\/p>\n