United by Music, produced by the Curacao Art Society together with Caribbean Filmcom, is officially selected for the International Film Festival Trinidad and Tobago. The festival will run from September 21 through October 4. There will be screened approximately 40 feature length dramatic and documentary films and an equal number of shorts during the two-week period.
The screening date & time of United by Music is Sat 24 Sept 3.00pm at APPA/UTT, Queen’s Park Savannah South.
When the Ricciotti ensemble, a Dutch symphony orchestra of 40 young musicians, announced that they would do a musical tour on Curacao (Netherlands Antilles), the ‘Barbulete Tour’ (Butterfly Tour)’, De Curaçaosche Kunstkring (the Curacao Art Association) decided to raise money to record this unique event.
The Ricciotti ensemble’s musicians together with Curacao jazz singer Izaline Calister, toured around the whole island giving 17 concerts on 17 different locations in 4 days. The documentary shows performances in outside theaters, public squares, social institutions and even in the woods. Everywhere they performed there was a large and enthusiastic public. Black and white, rich and poor, old and young, men and women became one group of happy people, singing and listening, United by Music. The tour became one of the most successful cultural events ever on Curacao.
Their diverse and playful repertoire touched the hearts of everyone on Curacao. The tour became one of the most successful cultural events ever on Curacao, building bridges between Europe and the Caribbean people in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
“UNITED BY MUSIC” – how 40 musicians conquered the hearts of Curacao” is a dazzling and moving impression of Ricciotti’s tour”, held from July 30 until August 3, 2008, featuring Izaline Calister and the Curacao people.
This documentary gives an overview of performances in many beautiful locations on Curacao and the chemistry between the Dutch musicians, Izaline Calister and their Caribbean audience. Music styles include classical, jazz, latin and Curacao evergreens. Enjoy this magnificent and thrilling experience.
Director Michel Drenthe about UNITED BY MUSIC:
One week before the tour would take off, Freek van Beetz from the Curacao Art Society asked me to record all the concerts of the Ricciotti ensemble and Izaline.
Yes, Izaline I knew but the Ricciotti ensemble I had never heard of. I also didn't know what kind of music they would play and how they usually perform. I think because of the fact that I only had time to make the necessary technical preparations gives the film its power. I was as much surprised and overwhelmed by the concerts as the Curacao public. That surprise and the positive energy of the ensemble towards their audience I tried to visualize.
The screening date & time of United by Music is Sat 24 Sept 3.00pm at APPA/UTT, Queen’s Park Savannah South.
Credits:
producers: Michel Drenthe for Caribbean Filmcom NV
Freek van Beetz for the Curacao Art Society
director: Michel Drenthe
photograper: Juergen Podzkiewitz
editor: Dolph van Stapele
website:
www.filmcom.nl/unitedbymusic
