Concert Program:
Concerto Grosso in D major, Georg Philipp Telemann
Invention No. 13 in A minor, BWV 784, J.S. Bach
8 Pieces, Op. 39 for violin and cello, Reinhold Glière
Movement II. Gavotte
Movement III. Lullaby

POP String Ensemble
Thomas Mesa, cello
Hannah Tarley, violin

Featured Murals:
Philly Rising, Nilé Livingston
Wide Open, Jim Houser
Rippling Moon: An Urban Fairytale, Meg Saligman

About Young At Art:
Young At Art is a collaboration between Astral Artists, Play On Philly and Mural Arts Philadelphia.

In this series of virtual concerts, Astral and Play On Philly have joined together to create small groups of chamber musicians of all ages and levels of experience. Each concert pairs works from the Mural Arts collection with a specific instrument group- brass, percussion, woodwinds, harp and strings.

We invite you to join us on a journey of expression and creativity through murals and music.
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    Play On Philly
    The POP String Ensemble features 4th-11th grade students. Students in Play On Philly receive intensive music education as a vehicle for life skills and academic achievement.

    Learn more at www.playonphilly.org
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    Astral Artist
    A winner of the 2017 Astral Artist National Auditions, Cuban-American Thomas Mesa was the top prizewinner at the 2016 Sphinx, 2013 Thaviu, and 2006 Alhambra Orchestra Concerto competitions. He has appeared as concerto soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at The Hollywood Bowl, among others. Recent recital engagements have included the Mainly Mozart Festival, Bargemusic, Carnegie Hall, the Supreme Court of the United States, the Heifetz Institute, and the International Beethoven Project. He tours with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and is the principal cellist of Sphinx Virtuosi. An ongoing collaborator with The Crossing, he appeared on the choir’s 2017 Grammy-nominated album Bonhoeffer. A graduate of The Juilliard School and Northwestern University, he is currently a doctoral candidate at the Manhattan School of Music.

    Learn more at www.astralartists.org/artist/thomas-mesa
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    Astral Artist
    A winner of the 2018 Astral Artist National Auditions, Hannah Tarley has appeared as soloist with the San Francisco, Detroit, and Knoxville symphonies, among many others. She debuted in Carnegie Hall as the First Prize winner of the New York Concerti Sinfonietta’s International Shining Stars Competition. At age 12, she was appointed the youngest concertmaster in the history of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. Founder & Artistic Director of Notes By The Bay Music Festival, a children’s program in California, she also performs with Violins of Hope, which brings to life the history of the Holocaust and stories of its victims and their violins. Hannah studied at the Colburn School, London’s Royal College of Music, and The Juilliard School, and currently pursues a Master’s degree at the Yale School of Music.

    Learn more at www.astralartists.org/artist/hannah-tarley
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    Mural by Nilé Livingston
    Philadelphia is a city of underdogs. We are resilient and tenacious. We are built on grit and mutual support. In the face of adversity, we rise to the occasion. Within the last few months, a global pandemic and calls for racial justice catalyzed our community to uplift each other.

    Just as each Philadelphian plays a pivotal role in the fabric of our community, each image will be woven into this collective piece that represents the resilient spirit of our city.

    Learn more at www.muralarts.org/artworks/art-in-action-covid19-response/phillyrising/

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    Mural by Jim Houser
    Wide Open features a design that speaks directly to the artist’s view of Philadelphia. Themes include the concept of brotherly love, family and friends, a love of skateboarding and music, and the complex interaction of danger and beauty. The struggle of loss, hope and pride in where one lives intertwine in this striking mural.

    Learn more at https://www.muralarts.org/artworks/spring-arts-district/wideopen
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    Mural by Meg Saligman
    The mural depicts multiple generations working together both backstage and frontstage to devise new narratives of continual growth and empowerment in the lives of those experiencing the darkness of trauma. What we do in the present casts light on the future, and a single point of healing can ripple throughout a community.

    Learn more at https://www.muralarts.org/artworks/rippling-moon-urban-fairytale