Join PROTESTRA's Winter Solstice salon. Experience chamber works performed by Michelle Rofrano and fellow musicians in an intimate home setting, supporting PROTESTRA's mission of music for social change. December 21, 2024.
Michelle Rofrano with her Steinway Model S piano in her Jersey City home.
In the heart of Jersey City, a musical evening is about to unfold that embodies the transformative power of classical music. PROTESTRA, the pioneering orchestra collective that has raised over $32,000 for charitable causes through their concerts, will host their year-end celebration featuring an extraordinary lineup of performers and a very special instrument – a Steinway Model S from our own Park Avenue Pianos.
This intimate salon concert marks a beautiful milestone: the first time PROTESTRA's founder and conductor Michelle Rofrano will showcase the Steinway Model S she acquired from us a year ago. The Model S is known for its perfect proportions for home concerts and will serve as the centerpiece for an evening of masterworks spanning centuries and cultures.
"It has been such a joy to have this incredible model S piano in my home this year,” Rofrano said. “I am an opera and orchestral conductor, and being able to play through scores on this beautiful instrument that is so sensitive to the touch and to the ear allows me to creatively interpret and imagine the sounds I hope to hear in the orchestra. The details I can achieve in my own study and practice allow me to be a more detailed and thoughtful musician."
Michelle Rofrano conducting PROTESTRA in concert, 2023.
A Program That Speaks Volumes
The carefully curated program reflects PROTESTRA's commitment to musical excellence and inclusive programming. From Amy Beach's passionate Romance for Violin and Piano to Nokuthula Ngwenyama's contemporary masterpiece Sonoran Storm for Solo Viola, each piece tells its own story. The program also features an exciting work by living composer Raphael Fusco, highlighting PROTESTRA's dedication to showcasing modern voices alongside classical masterworks. The evening will culminate in a festive arrangement of Tchaikovsky's beloved Nutcracker Suite for four hands, with additional holiday music as an encore – a perfect celebration of the season.
"This salon program is special to me because we allowed each performer to select their own repertoire and make collaboration decisions amongst themselves," violinist Sam Gray said. "This allows for varied repertoire to enter the program and for the artists themselves to present work that means something to them. This will resonate even more effectively in an intimate setting by removing the invisible barrier that is often present between performer and audience."
Among the evening's highlights will be pianist Ben Nylander's performances of two masterworks from the Romantic era.
"The two piano solos I will be performing—Liszt's Liebesträume No. 3 and Scriabin's Etude Op. 8 No. 12 in D# minor—are both designed around the repetition of a single note," Nylander explained. "Both of these instances of repetition and their search for resolution are, to me, a direct example of the late romantic theme of the eternal longing for the sublime."
More Than Just Music
Musicians and guests at a previous PROTESTRA salon concert.
What makes this salon truly special is its purpose. Since their inception in 2017 with a powerful response to the Muslim Ban, PROTESTRA has demonstrated how classical music can be a force for positive change. Their concerts have addressed crucial social issues from climate action to mental health awareness, proving that music can both inspire and unite communities for common causes.
"I began performing with PROTESTRA in 2022 and was impressed with their ability to tackle issues bigger than themselves with impassioned musical excellence," Gray said, now Executive Director of PROTESTRA. "Their work inspired me to join the administrative team a year later. The salon format allows our audience members to get a closer look at the arts production process and invite them in to help us make an impact through classical music."
The proceeds from this salon will support PROTESTRA's ambitious upcoming season, including orchestral concerts focused on immigration, freedom of speech, women's rights, and worker's rights. They're even planning their first semi-staged opera – a testament to their growing impact and vision.
"As a mission-driven organization whose work prioritizes social justice at its core - we have trepidation about the potential loss of rights of many groups of people at the hands of our federal government - particularly for women, LGBTQ communities, and immigrants to the US,” Rofrano said. “However, we know we are stronger when we work together and use our art to put some good into the world. The act of creating both music and community gives us purpose and hope."
An Intimate Evening with Extraordinary Artists
PROTESTRA's Winter Solstice Salon - December 21, 2024
The salon brings together a remarkable ensemble of musicians:
- Malachi Brown and Anthime Miller (Cello)
- Sam Gray (Violin)
- Linnea Marchie (Viola)
- Ben Nylander and Michelle Rofrano (Piano)
These accomplished performers will transform Rofrano's home into a vibrant musical salon, reminiscent of the great musical gatherings of the past but with a distinctly contemporary purpose. As Rofrano notes, these intimate gatherings offer a special opportunity for PROTESTRA's musicians to shine in solo and chamber repertoire, contrasting with their usual orchestral performances. True to her Italian American heritage, guests can expect not just extraordinary music but also warm hospitality, complete with good food and wine – creating an atmosphere where musicians, volunteers, and supporters can connect in a more personal way.
"In this modern age where sound amplification defines the great majority of our musical experiences," Nylander said, "the direct immersion of an audience into an intimate chamber performance—simply due to physical proximity—has the emotional capacity to transcend the impersonality of many of our modern sources of music."
The Perfect Instrument for an Important Cause
We take particular pride in knowing that our Steinway Model S will play such a vital role in this evening. This piano, selected by Rofrano for its exceptional quality and perfect size for intimate performances, demonstrates how the right instrument can enhance not just music-making, but community-building and advocacy.
PROTESTRA's work reminds us that music is more than entertainment – it's a powerful tool for bringing people together and inspiring positive change. We're honored that one of our pianos will help further their mission of using classical music to address critical social issues and support charitable causes.
This salon concert represents everything we value: exceptional musicianship, meaningful community engagement, and the enduring power of live music to touch hearts and inspire minds. It's a testament to how a single instrument, in the right hands and with the right purpose, can contribute to creating positive change in our world.
Event Details & Registration
Date & Time: December 21, 2024 at 2:30 PM
Location: Jersey City (Address provided upon RSVP)
Suggested Donation: $25
PROTESTRA Monthly Members: Your membership serves as your ticket
Join us for an afternoon of exceptional music, warm hospitality, and meaningful connection. Your contribution supports PROTESTRA's upcoming 2025 concert season.
Can't make it to this salon but want to stay informed about future events? Sign up for PROTESTRA's newsletter or learn about other ways to get involved through their contact page.
