Threads of Assumption: The Biases You Weave is a multidisciplinary exploration of the impact gender based harm has on one’s health, professional trajectory, and interpersonal relationships. Threads is a collaboration by Maria, Sofie Hodara, Martha Rettig, and U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo, is made possible by The Boston Foundations Live Arts Boston Grant in Residency at the Goethe Institut, and will be shown in June of 2021. Read more to find out how to become involved in the generation of material for this project.

The Collective Body is a “transdisciplinary audio/video project that proposes to capture the circumstances of life in isolation during COVID-19.” Dancers and musicians participated in a sort of 21st century game of telephone, in which dancers made videos of specific body parts, which the musicians then responded to with recordings, which then is sent back to the dancers for a response, and so on and so forth. Maria was a participating artist on this project, and was thrilled to be a part of the collaboration earlier this. year.

Maria recently sat down for an interview with Annie Lundsten, a co-founder and principal owner of The Experience Alchemists, also know as TEA. TEA is a new organization that creates unique experiences out of collaboration with a roster of diverse creative partners, ranging from visual artists, poets, chefs, musicians, and MF Dynamics! Read on to hear about Maria’s thoughts on inspiration, audiences, her background as a percussionist, and this new organization we are thrilled to partner with!

Nubian Nights is a 3-weekend installation guided by jazz, light, and love, presented by the Roxbury Cultural District, and produced by MF Dynamics and Hersch Visuals at Jazz Urbane Café, Black Market, Nubian Gallery.

The secret it out! We are thrilled to share that we'll be illuminating the DCR Hatch Shell in Boston to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Esplanade Association - bringing a little joy to a dark New England winter and celebrating the potential of 2021! We hope you’ll join us this Jan & Feb on the Esplanade!

The idea for Project Daydream came to me just as the pandemic was becoming a reality in the US, but before we really understood the long term effects of the virus. I wanted to create a body of work that would encourage calm and imagination for young people. I wanted to introduce the meditative and warm tone of the marimba, and challenge ears and eyes with improvisatory ideas and contemporary sounds.

In addition to having similar last names (always nice to meet another -meier), Dr. Doug Bielmeier and I both teach at Northeastern, enjoy experimental music, and could chat about distilling the artistic process, identifying success, and unpacking identify for days. I had a blast chatting with him for his podcast: The Process: Music + Creativity this summer.

While the economy begins to reopen, the creative and performing arts sector continues to ask: How do we share our creations in meaningful ways given our current health and economic environment?

That’s a lofty question. Many of my colleagues turned quickly to online tools to perform, share, and connect.

I’ve been following Allison’s hypnotic glitch art for years. While the global pandemic has shifted my flow (in so many ways!), it has also created some space to reach out to other artists and potential collaborators I admire.

For BLINK Cincinnati, I created a musical score, lighting score, and technical language to bring the Roebling Bridge (aka “the singing bridge”) to life for four nights in October 2019 with Masary Studios, Brave Berlin and Vincent Lighting Systems. Here’s a peak into the process!

While I released this album over a year ago, it is resurfacing for me as I try to refocus and look toward the future in the times of physical distancing due to COVID19. These days at home are spent taking care of Lillian (she’s now 15 months old!) and dreaming about future collaborations. They are also spent in reflection…

Harsh is Truth came to life via the Arts on the Trails to Freedom initiative by the National Parks Service in collaboration with the New England Foundation for the Arts. The Old South Meeting House immediately spoke to me for many reasons: a beautiful blank white canvas (wall!) accented by flowing architectural features, a rich and important narrative in our revolutionary history, and swell acoustics.

Writing my end of summer newsletter was tough! It meant the end of beach days and long runs through our new neighborhood, but it was also fun to reflect on the momentum that the low-stress schedule provided. Travels took me to Indiana to teach at Yamaha's Music for All Summer Symposium and to London to perform at the i = u festival. I was able to transform the Beat Bus project with the support from New England Foundation for the Arts, and worked closely with the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum to create two Open Studio sessions inviting the visitors to compose music. 

Premiering a new project is like wearing your soul on your sleeve while hoping that nothing breaks. In May, I had the pleasure/intense pressure (self inflicted) of premiering a brand new project at the i=u festival of Open Senses UK in London! I've been super jazzed about participating in the festival ever since my Eastman friend, Eugene, called about a year ago to start brainstorming!

The Beat Bus is due for a sophomore update! Thanks to the New England Foundation for the Arts Creative City grant, I will be spending time this summer reimagining and reengineering the Beat Bus workshops and free play

Months after the premiere of our ambitious "Know No." production, I continue to brainstorm/scheme/hustle to find a way to present the piece again. Months of work and creation went by so quickly in its three night run at the beautiful Cyclorama.

Today, the Boston Globe named the Kadence Arts' Inuksuit project one of the Top 10 classical music events of the year. We are so humbled to be amongst amazing artists and organizations!