NEW YORK – October 5, 2021 – In commemoration of Mental Illness Awareness Week, Sing for Hope will present three special public performances by the renowned Me2/Boston orchestra. The first public concert will be on Thursday, October 7 at 5pm on Fosun Plaza at 28 Liberty in Lower Manhattan, and the second two concerts will be on Friday at 1:00pm and 2:00pm at Moynihan Train Hall outdoors on the plaza at 31st Street and 8th Avenue.
Ronald Braunstein — Co-Founder, Music Director, and Conductor of Me2/ — has a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. For the free Thursday afternoon concert, he will lead the ensemble in works for string orchestra by Mozart, Grieg, Warlock, Respighi, and Bach.
“We are thrilled to partner with Sing for Hope and bring our musicians to Fosun Plaza in recognition of Mental Illness Awareness Week,” said Me2/ Co-Founder and Executive Director Caroline Whiddon. “Audience members can expect to hear great classical music interspersed with inspiring stories from our musicians who live with mental illnesses.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Me2/, which embodies so many of the core values of Sing for Hope and our entire arts community as we emerge into this next pandemic phase. It’s all about creative hope, resilience, and mutual support,” said Sing for Hope Co-Founder Monica Yunus.
Sing for Hope Co-Founder Camille Zamora said, “Me2/ has opened so many important conversations, destigmatizing mental illness, inspiring empathy, and connecting us all through the shared language of music. We can’t wait to share Me2/‘s performance with the public, free of charge and open to all."
About Me2/
Me2/ exists to erase the stigma surrounding mental illnesses through supportive classical music rehearsals and inspiring performances. Half of our musicians are living with a diagnosed mental illness, while others join Me2/ because they appreciate the opportunity to use their musical skills to forward our mission. There are no auditions and no fees required to participate. Me2/ is committed to inclusivity and serves as a model organization where people with and without mental illness work together in an environment where acceptance is an expectation, patience is encouraged, and supporting each other is a priority. Music Director Ronald Braunstein is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music and he was awarded the Gold Medal in the Herbert von Karajan International Conducting Competition. He has conducted around the world and taught at both the Juilliard School and the Mannes School of Music. He founded Me2/ out of a desire to work with other musicians who live with mental illness. Learn more at me2music.org.
