Cecilia Concerts kicks off 2025 with Symphony Nova Scotia’s principal cellist Rachel Desoer and host-pianist Jennifer King with Her Cello, the Halifax music presenters’ first sensory-accessible concert of the new year.
This program invites you to enjoy the rich and expressive sounds of cello and piano music in a safe and accessible setting, perfect for the early days of winter.
In Her Cello, Desoer and King celebrate women-identifying composers and their contributions to chamber music. Among the compositions to be performed are Maria-Theresa von Paradis’ Sicilienne, Sally Beamish’s The Wise Maid for solo cello, and Nadia Boulanger’s Trois Pièces, No. 2 paired with Trois Pièces, No. 3. Also on the program are Henrietta Bosmans’ En Espagne, Jennifer Higdon’s The Space Within and Clara Wieck-Schumann’s Piano Concerto, Op. 7, II. Romanze.
“This program invites you to enjoy the rich and expressive sounds of cello and piano music in a safe and accessible setting, perfect for the early days of winter,” say organizers. “Designed with sensory-friendly considerations, this concert series offers a welcoming and inclusive space for all with thoughtful sensory-friendly adaptations that create a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere.”
Going into its fourth year, Cecilia Concerts’ sensory-accessible concerts are designed with consideration for autistic, neurodivergent, and intellectually disabled community members and their families, as well as seniors experiencing age-related hearing and vision changes. The series welcomes anyone who may find traditional concert environments challenging, although all are invited to attend.
Cecilia Concerts and the Halifax Public Libraries will present their first sensory-accessible concert in 2025 on January 5 at the Halifax Central Library’s Paul O’Regan Hall (5440 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax). Admission is free, but registration is required. Visit ceciliaconcerts.ca for more information.