Residence Cycle 2- July- September 2024

Our Artists in Residence for July – September 2024 were a chamber music ensemble called OLEA. The group, composed of Kate Kilgus (clarinet), Alayne Wegner (violin), and Marissa Kerbel (piano), spent their residency preparing a program entitled “Contemplations on Democracy” that used chamber music to explore themes related to the 2024 presidential election. Themes included Climate Change, Women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, Immigration/Refugees, War/Foreign Conflicts, and Income Inequality among others. The music was accompanied by literary and visual works by Greater Cincinnati artists, relating to the same themes.

OLEA concluded their residency with a rehearsal performance during which they explained how music is used to convey the composer’s ideas, along with two final performances, and an educational school-based performance, all held in October 2024.

​OLEA conducted their program like a town hall, in which audience members selected issues relevant to the 2024 election, and OLEA performed works inspired by those topics. Information about the voting process in America was also shared at these performances.