Dear friends of R A P A!
For those of you who have never heard about us – R A P A is “Russian and American Performing Artists” Concert Association. R A P A has three main events per year – Old New Year concert, The Rhythms of Spring concert and a performance at the Annual Triangle Ethnic Fest in Madison. The performers at our events are people from Madison community – Russians and Americans. In January of 2014 we celebrated three years since R A P A was organized.
I would like to bring to your attention 2015 schedule (please, see at events menu). Please mark your calendars for these dates. You are also welcome to register as a member at classes/registration menu and participate as an artist at our concerts or be a guest at our events.
In addition to three annual events, starting this year, R A P A offers promotion for young artists. All parents and teachers can apply for such recitals six months in advance for their children or students. Students cannot be lower than a late Intermediate level of preparation. All applications will be previewed by professionals related to the area of the performance. All recitals are arranged at professional stages in Madison.
R A P A (RUSSIAN and AMERICAN PERFORMING ARTISTS)
R A P A is a concert association, located in Madison, Wisconsin, which presents three main events per year – Winter performance in January”OLD NEW YEAR” (at the weekend of the Russian Old New Year holiday – January 13-14), Spring performance “THE RHYTHMS of SPRING” in May (dates may very) and Summer Festival – the Annual Triangle Ethnic Fest through the Bayview Foundation.
R A P A was founded by Vladislava Henderson in 2011. The idea of organizing such a group came to Vladislava’s mind well before the name ‘RAPA’ appeared. Vladislava felt the need to express herself as a Russian pianist, who had grown up in the Soviet era. Also, she saw this need for Russian children as well as for adult professional performers, who lived around her in Madison, to perform to a wider audience. The first attempt to bring this idea to life was Vladislava’s collaboration with the ‘Madison Russian School’. During Winter holidays, in January of 2011, she offered to organize the concert program “BRIGHT LITTLE STARS” with teachers and children participating in the same performance. The Madison Russian School music teacher, Elena Kurolapnik, supported her idea, and later introduced Vladislava to the Annual Triangle Ethnic Fest Committee. After playing a fundraising concert for their organization – Bayview foundation, Vladislava was invited to participate at the International Triangle Ethnic Fest. Thus, Vladislava organized the Russian and American Performing Artists group to participate in the 27th International Triangle Ethnic Fest in 2011. In preparation for this event Vladislava found out that there are a great number of people in Madison similar in background – Russians as well as her American colleagues and friends who would like to share their talents and souls through the art of musical stage performance. The performance at the festival was warmly received by the audience, and the festival committee invited Vladislava and the RAPA group to participate in the festival in 2012.
Russian and American Performing Artists (R A P A) at the 27th Triangle International Ethnic Fest
Living in the US for 15 years, and bringing up her son in both Russian and American communities for 11 years, Vladislava understands the importance of ethnic roots, and how enhancing they are for a human development and for cultural dialog and collaboration. Being a musician, Vladislava knows how music helps to unveil cultural content for easier communication. Having these thoughts in mind, she decided to organize two more concerts programs in 2012, one of which – “OLD NEW YEAR” was a highlight of a strong Russian custom of an OLD NEW YEAR celebration. Another program, “THE RHYTHMS OF SPRING”, appeared as an idea of combining many Spring holidays of the Russian-European-Soviet-American calendars for the celebration of Spring’s arrival. In Vladislava’s heart there are two Russian May Holidays – the Day of Boris and Gleb (May 15), the first Russian saints, and Soviet Labor Day – May Day – which falls on the 1st and 2nd of May.
R A P A EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
R A P A offers
Music classes all year (this includes the Summer).
In 2013 R A P A implemented a program “Music to Children”, the idea of which is to familiarize the young population of the Madison community with classical music through attendance at the Madison Symphony Orchestra, as well as the concerts of other musical groups in Madison and other soloists. Please, join us and receive a discount for your tickets as a part of R A P A group. Please, contact Vladislava Henderson via contact menu or call (608)829-0149.
R A P A insrumental ensemble, where children will be prepared to participate at two R A P A annual concerts as well as at the Annual Triangle Ethnic Fest. Children will play together with professional performers from around the world.
