The Pluto String Ensemble is a classical music group that is focused on building community and highlighting the voices of POC and queer musicians in the classical world, by creating and managing spaces for musicians to meet, rehearse, and perform.
This Pluto season’s artists:
Ginamarie Bocchino
Lisa Chen
Joseph Cracolici
Heather Cruz
Gerdlie Jean Louis
Gerdrose Jean Louis
Leila Paredes
Joseph Weinberg
The Pluto performance will include the following pieces:
Without You Without Them Written By boygenius Arranged By Gerdlie Jean Louis
Glier Duos for Cello No.3 & No.7
Soley-Ò Arranged By Gerdrose Jean Louis
J. Lee Graham Trio in B Flat for Viola, Violoncello, and Double Bass
Beethoven String Trio in C minor Op.9, No.3: III. Scherzo: Allegro molto e vivace
Wilson Quartet No. 1 The New England String Quartet Mvt IV: Finale
About The Artists
Ginamarie Bocchino is a 16 year old cellist from Kids 4 Harmony, and has been playing for over eight years now. She has performed with Heartland Chamber Music Festival, YOLA National Festival, Longy School of Music, and Kids 4 Harmony’s Octet. Ginamarie is an eleventh grader at Miss Halls School, and has a small crochet/sewing business on the side, “Yarniez”, which you can find on instagram.
Lisa Chen is a musician from Pittsfield, Massachusetts. As an ongoing junior in Pittsfield High School, Lisa has been playing the violin for seven years and the viola for two. She is a member of an El-Sistema inspired program, Kids 4 Harmony, and several other music and orchestral programs such as Longy Sistema Side-by-Side, YOLA National Festival, and the Empire State Youth Orchestra.
Joseph Cracolici, a Music and Accounting double major from Pittsfield, Massachusetts and the Brooks Scholar of the Class of 2023, is a dedicated solo, chamber, and orchestral musician eager to make a positive impact on people’s lives through impassioned and collaborative music-making. As the Brooks Scholar, Cracolici has collaborated closely with a variety of celebrated musicians, such as cellist Jan Müller-Szeraws, violinists Michelle Ross and Katherine Winterstein, and pianist Adam Golka. At Holy Cross, Cracolici has served as Principal Cellist of the Chamber Orchestra, and regularly participated in the Chamber Music program and Chapel Choir. Following studying at the National Orchestral Institute and Festival this summer, Cracolici will be pursuing his Masters of Music in Cello Performance at Bard College’s Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he will study with Christine Lamprea.
Heather Cruz, a passionate high school cellist from Pittsfield MA. Heather has studied the international baccalaureate academic program for 2 years in one of the 2 UWC East Africa campuses, being placed in the campus located in Moshi, Tanzania. Prior She was involved in Kids 4 Harmony, where she was a mentor for cello students. Beyond her academic and musical achievements, Heather has been deeply committed to social justice and using her platform as a musician to advocate for positive change. Looking ahead, Heather plans to pursue a double major in Music Performance and Law. She aspires to continue her musical journey, refine her skills, and share her passion for the cello with audiences around the world, alongside fighting for social justice and advocating for people’s rights.
Gerdlie Jean Louis is a violist and violinist from Pittsfield, Massachusetts. They were a member of the El Sistema inspired program, Kids 4 Harmony. They’ve participated in several orchestras and music based programs such as Longy Sistema Side by Side, the YOLA National Festival, the YOLA National Institute, Stockbridge Sinfonia, and the Empire State Youth Orchestra. They now are attending Clark University as a viola performance and musicology major. Along with being a member of Clark Sinfonia, they also work part time at Worcester’s local El Sistema program Neighborhood Strings.
Gerdrose Jean Louis is a cellist from western Massachusetts. They began playing cello at the age of 7 at Kids 4 Harmony (an El Sistema inspired program). Through Kids 4 Harmony they have gotten many opportunities such as traveling to California for the Yola National Festival and traveling to Boston to participate in the Longy El Sistema Side by Side Orchestra. They are currently studying cello performance at Ithaca College with Professor Gregory Hesselink. At Ithaca they participate in the school Ithaca College Symphonic Orchestra and Chamber music program.
Leila Paredes has been playing violin for 12 years. She started at Kids 4 Harmony and has a lot of experience traveling with music. She has been apart of many side by side programs and is currently studying music performance at University of Massachusetts.
Joe Weinberg began his double bass studies in 2018 at the Berkshire Music School under the direction of Alice Spatz. He has been accepted twice to the Boston University Tanglewood Institute’s Double Bass Workshop and Young Artist Instrumental Program in 2021 and 2022. Joe spent five weeks this summer in Orford, Quebec at Orford Musique studying under Joel Quarrington, Andrew Raciti, Ali Yazdanfar, and Rex Surany. He is now a proud student of Joseph Conyers at the Juilliard school and will graduate in 2026.
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Tickets: $10
Seating/Bar: 6:30PM Show: 7:00PM
This event is indoors.
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Parking is limited at the venue so please utilize the three public parking lots in Town. One is across from the Post Office, one is behind Berkshire Bank and the other is just off Main Street. They are clearly marked. Do not park at Trúc Orient Express Restaurant or the Post Office or you might receive a ticket.