From Reading Symphony Orchestra and Yocum Institute for Arts Education
Pictured above, from left to right: Wikimedia Commons by Firoz Ansari, Boston Public Library Tichnor Brothers Collection, Nadia Pochan
The Reading Symphony Orchestra and the Yocum Institute for Arts Education are partnering for a county-wide creative collaboration for youth ages 5-22.
Join the Reading Symphony Orchestra and the Yocum Institute as they celebrate Berks County through your images! On Saturday, Oct. 10, they’re presenting something truly extraordinary — a stunning new original “visual concerto” celebrating Berks County through the eyes of the youth.
This immersive orchestra experience is open to all Berks youth ages 5-22. The final performance piece will be produced from a pool of well over 1,000 local image submissions and then choreographed onto a massive 440-square-foot screen above the Reading Symphony Orchestra. Photos submitted will be curated by Nicholas Bardonnay of Westwater Arts and turned into a stunning visual mosaic synchronized to a live performance of Joseph Curiale’s evocative piece, Awakening by the RSO.
They are calling all Berks youth to celebrate the life, culture, and beauty of Berks County through your eyes and with your images – all set to a live, professional orchestra.
What does Berks County mean to you?
Words alone can’t express all there is to love about Reading and Berks County, so they’re turning to the community’s collective eye to share your experiences.
They invite you to help tell Berks’ story through photographs that showcase:
- Community celebrations, street fairs, and festivals
- Your city’s rich history and treasured local landmarks
- Favorite hometown places, food, and traditions
- School activities, sporting events, and family moments
- Music-making, dancing, and the arts
- Murals, cultural expression, and creative life
- Personal snapshots, volunteerism, and gatherings
- The natural beauty and agricultural heritage of Berks County
- Outdoor recreation like biking, running, water sports, and more
- Portraits and everyday acts of kindness
- Your pets
Your images will help orchestrate a visual symphony that reflects the heart of the community.
How to submit your images for “Berks in Focus”
Visit www.yocuminstitute.org/berksinfocus.
You may submit as many photos as you’d like — newly taken, long cherished, or inherited. If your images capture the spirit of Berks County, they want to see our home through your eyes.
Submission deadline
Sunday, May 31, at 11:59 p.m.
Westwater Arts will create this project for the Reading Symphony
“Berks in Focus” will be created by Nicholas Bardonnay, the Creative Director & CEO of Westwater Arts. Nicholas is a photographer and multimedia artist. His photography has been exhibited in galleries in London, Los Angeles, Portland, and Hong Kong, among others. Since joining Westwater Arts in 2009, Nicholas has worked on more than 120 concerts with orchestras in cities across the U.S. as well as Scotland, England, Singapore, Canada, Poland, and Germany. His latest projects are Mágico, National Park Suite, and Visions, which respectively celebrate Mexico’s vibrant culture, the legacy of the National Park Service, and America’s First Peoples. Nicholas will join us here in Reading as technical and artistic director for “Berks in Focus.”
