Students, faculty, staff and members of the general public who showed up to the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom recently for the launch of a new arts initiative at Holy Cross weren’t sure what to expect.
Attendees knew the event was intended to launch “Arts Transcending Borders” (ATB), a new initiative designed to infuse the fine and performing arts in students’ academic lives and create new opportunities throughout the curriculum and the community by transcending cultural, geographic and disciplinary boundaries.
They also knew Galician bagpiper, pianist, and composer Cristina Pato, who will be visiting artist in residence at the College next year, was set to perform.
What the standing room only crowd didn’t expect was a performance so captivating — both in Pato’s masterful command of the gaita (Spanish bagpipe) and her riveting band The Migrations — it quickly set the place abuzz and reached a climax when she commanded they join her in traditional Spanish dance.
ATB will examine the theme of ‘Time, Memory, and Identity” with Pato’s residency throughout the next academic year through a series of workshops, master classes, public lectures, performances, and other opportunities for interaction and learning.
In a video interview, which features clips of her performance (and the dancing audience!), Pato shares why she accepted the artist in residency position at Holy Cross, and what she hopes to bring to the College.
Related Information
- Arts Transcending Borders
- Galician Bagpiper Cristina Pato Named Visiting Artist-in-Residence at Holy Cross
- Telegram & Gazette, April 20: ‘Holy Cross launches ‘Arts Transcending Borders’ ’
