The Arts Community Alliance recently awarded a second $3,500 resiliency grant to Lumedia Musicworks, supporting the organization’s Stories. It’s a comedic short documentary-and-performance series about selected women composers.
The Dallas-based nonprofit performance organization, committed to showcasing and performing early music - music composed before 1750, received the funding as part of TACA’s second round of resiliency grants. The grants are designed to support Dallas arts groups demonstrating resiliency in creatively fulfilling their mission, despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lumedia was one of 37 arts organizations to receive the funding. It will use the grant to cover the costs of this year’s series, which includes the current installment about the life and music of Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, a French composer who had a close relationship with King Louis XIV, and Barbara Strozzi, part of the rival family of the Medicis.
“We’re highlighting early women composers because they broke a bit of the glass ceiling back then,” said Julianna Emanski, Lumedia’s artistic director. “What these women accomplished in the 17th and 18th centuries was unheard of at the time.”
Stories premiered in October, and the series soon gained fans, Emanski said. Viewers and listeners from as far away as Germany, South Africa and Australia registered. Both installments are available at https://www.lumediamusicworks.com.
“We hope by telling their stories in an entertaining and easily consumable way, people will gain greater appreciation for them and the music,” she said.
Lumedia’s Stories are offered at no charge, but registration for each is required. The organization’s Spotlights, virtual performances filmed in striking locations across Texas, are $10 each for adults and students tickets are available at no charge.
Lumedia’s artists perform on historical reproductions of instruments from the baroque, renaissance and medieval periods, at historical pitch. Lumedia’s core team is highly trained in historically-informed performance practices.
TACA began its support for Lumedia in 2018 – six months after the organization’s launch.
For a full schedule of Lumedia’s performances, visit www.lumediaworks.com/season.