Thursday, October 21, 2021 

6:30 p.m - 8:00 p.m.

(A YouTube + Zoom Event)

Discover ideas for how to spark your own creativity in music or other arts to feel more whole, joyous, and centered in turbulent times. John and Gioia both have eclectic hybrid careers in science and the arts, as well as degrees from MIT.

The event will begin with a unique performance, with reflections on creativity and resilience, presented as a YouTube premiere, followed immediately by a community gathering on Zoom for Q&A and discussion with the artists. The link for the YouTube portion of the event will be sent out in advance.

The Olson/De Cari Duo (olsondecariduo.com), a husband-and-wife ensemble, is dedicated to expanding the repertoire for classical guitar and voice, deriving inspiration from their eclectic backgrounds in both science and the arts. The Duo’s unique approach to song performance draws on Gioia’s expertise as both a classical singer and a theatre artist, and John’s diverse musical background and affinity for ensemble performance. Their innovative repertoire includes pieces written for them by acclaimed composers, and compositions from their Science/Music Commissioning Project, which seeks to celebrate the science-informed worldview and illuminate the human side of science through song.

NYlon Review described their performance as “superb . . . served up with style and elegance,” and the Science Friday Initiative noted that “the Olson/De Cari Duo straddle science and art gloriously.” Their latest album, “Eve’s Diary”, features new compositions and arrangements commissioned by the Duo, including a piece based on texts by Mark Twain, and a song cycle based on poems by Nobel Prize-winning chemist Roald Hoffmann.

Gioia (gioiadecari.com) is an award-winning writer and performer, and a proud member of SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity, and the Dramatists Guild of America. She holds an MS '88 in Mathematics from the MIT. Her play Truth Values: One Girl's Romp Through M.I.T.'s Male Math Maze (https://www.truthvalues.org), an autobiographical piece about her experiences as a woman in math, has become a national hit, touring to over fifty venues across the country.

John (johnolsonguitar.com) received his PhD '90 in Biology from MIT, and has led research groups in pharma, biotech, and academic settings for more than 20 years. He has served since 2007 as President of the New York City Classical Guitar Society, which under his leadership has been revitalized as a thriving and central part of the city’s guitar community.

Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVwa6oYM7Nw