A Symphony of Style – the Richmond Symphony Debuts New Musical Performance Apparel
Thomas Schneider, Principal Bassoon, Richmond Symphony (Credit: James Loving)
RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 29, 2023--
April’s Symphony Series program of Walker’s beautiful Icarus in Orbit and Mahler’s powerful 2nd Symphony will carry extra meaning as this stunning performance also marks the debut of a new visual style, premiering the Richmond Symphony’s new performance wardrobe system.
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Thomas Schneider, Principal Bassoon, Richmond Symphony (Credit: James Loving)
Music Director Valentina Peleggi conducts the performance, and will wear a custom design to complement the new collection. The concert is also available to watch and experience online with a virtual ticket purchase.
An Innovation in Visual Performance
Together with an international design team, the symphony has developed a capsule wardrobe of musician-friendly designs to bring elite musicians to the concert stage with a new level of functional comfort, ease and elegance. The wardrobe system also utilizes earth-friendly production and boasts ease of maintenance, durability and sustainability. The Symphony’s new performance wear collection reflects extensive contributions from the musicians, Music Director Valentina Peleggi, and associate conductors themselves. Musicians have been involved at all stages throughout the year-long process from conversation to concept, as designs evolved, textiles and factories were sourced, through multiple tests and fittings to ensure a high quality, easy care and long-lasting results. Musicians chose a capsule wardrobe from among ten new designs which were conceived between NY and D.C. and perfected and produced in LA and a family-run factory in Dakar, Senegal, creating multiple opportunities for international collaboration.
The new attire steps away from the standard tux and tails by introducing a black and sapphire combination with unique features, designed intentionally to accommodate and support the physical movements and endurance needs of these “orchestral Olympians” including:
- Antimicrobial, odor-free, wicking, bacteria-repelling fabrics.
- Hidden pockets for reeds and rosins.
- Covered buttons and working buttonholes that don’t ‘catch.’
- Fewer and lighter layers that move freely.
- Designs for roles from conducting to playing, establishing a fresh look and feel while maintaining continuity throughout.
This innovative, high-quality wardrobe system represents a new and nearly unprecedented move for an orchestra in the U.S. While more contemporary modes of apparel have emerged in other industries, most orchestra musicians are continuing to perform in evening wear that is deeply impractical for the physically demanding levels of performance they strive to achieve.
The overall impact is dramatic for musicians and yet subtle for audiences and while symphony orchestras have begun to discover the miracles of high-performance stretch and climate-compliant fabrics in recent years, the Richmond Symphony’s newest performance wear takes the concept to the next level.
Early Responses to Richmond Symphony’s New Performance Wardrobe Design
“Why not mix it up with a little color and style… even a little elbowing and ‘Hey, would you look at that…?’ ‘Have you ever seen anything like it?’”
“These garments are visually brilliant - not only beautiful in form but well-researched in function. Original. Innovative. Eye-popping.”
“I can honestly say replacing the homogenous look of orchestras worldwide with a refreshing, gorgeous one will impact listening forever. Audiences will enjoy listening and looking, a truly unique, engaging experience on multiple levels.”
IMAGES
Click here for a Google drive. All photos to be credited to James Loving.
About the Wardrobe System
Led by Lauren Solomon, a truly international team of designers, tailors, image, fashion, technology and sustainability experts came together to reimagine and create the next generation of functional, comfortable, elegant, healthy-for-humans-and-the-planet performance wear on behalf of the Richmond Symphony. Design, sourcing and production credit to: ThreeASFOUR (NYC, Lebanon, Israel), Catherine Schuller Enterprises (NYC), Mor Sene/Burlington Custom Tailors (Boston/Dakar, Senegal), Nataliia Skulska Designs (Philadelphia/Ukraine), Tafa Jara Couture (Dakar, Senegal), Eva Varro Designs (LA), FUZE Biotech (Salt Lake City), Human Solutions (NCarolina) and many more.
About Lauren Solomon
Call it image, presence, persona, or personal brand; Lauren Solomon teaches the art and science of being your very best self – your most confident, capable and charismatic self – from the inside out. It started as a hobby, became a business school marketing project, and grew into a life and career Lauren has lived every day for 25+ years.
Lauren helps others look, feel and be their very best from the boardroom to the beach and now to the concert stage. She’s had the privilege of earning their trust and being invited to do just that for amazing, successful, brilliant people, from the CEO to the mailroom, across every continent and industry imaginable.
Solomon is an internationally renowned speaker, author, coach and media personality. She is the former Vice President of Professional Image Development at Chase Manhattan Bank; creator of the professional skills workshop, The Brand Called Me, at NYU’s Stern School of Business, and the American Management Association’s The Power of Your Professional Image; a former faculty member of the Image Consulting Certification Program at the Fashion Institute of Technology; Past President of the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI); former resident image expert for Career TV and the Lifetime TV series, Remake My Life; author of Image Matters!, and currently host of the television show, Good Day Orange County.
About the Richmond Symphony
Founded in 1957, the Richmond Symphony is the largest performing arts organization in Central Virginia and includes an orchestra of more than 70 professional musicians, the 150-voice Richmond Symphony Chorus and more than 260 students in the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra programs. Every season, more than 200,000 members of the community enjoy the symphony’s concerts, live streams, and educational outreach programs.
During and beyond the COVID pandemic, the Richmond Symphony has taken great strides as a forward-thinking and innovative organization that is redefining music performance to include new and engaging experiences.
The Richmond Symphony is partially funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
For more information, visit RichmondSymphony.com.
#innovativesymphony #powerofmusic #diversityinterest #womenforwardleadership #rva
View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230329005686/en/
CONTACT: Richmond / Central Virginia
Sara Hunt PR
804 994 1120National / International
Cheryl D. Snapp Conner
Founder and CEO
801 806 0150Richmond Symphony
Frances Sterling
Director of Advancement & Communications
804 788 4717 ex. 120
KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA VIRGINIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: FASHION ENTERTAINMENT RETAIL MANUFACTURING MUSIC EVENTS/CONCERTS TEXTILES
SOURCE: Richmond Symphony
Copyright Business Wire 2023.
PUB: 03/29/2023 11:00 AM/DISC: 03/29/2023 11:02 AM
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