Community Soundscape Hour 11.8

Open

Date: Friday, Nov. 8, 2024

Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Location: Smith Campus Center, Community Commons

The Office for the Arts, in partnership with Black Arts Collective, Center for Wellness and Health Promotion, Common Spaces, Harvard Ed Portal, Harvard University Native American Program, Intellectual Vitality Initiatives and Longy School of Music of Bard College, presents an hour to pause, listen and breathe as a community. Join Ed Portal Pipeline Artist, musician DeShaun Gordon-King, known as Díjí Kay, in a sound experience that offers relaxation, a sense of communal belonging and an invitation to simply be present. Playing flute, chimes and bowls, Díjí Kay focuses on the principles of therapeutic music, sound healing and vibrational therapy to curate transformative "sound spa” experiences. He is a graduate of Longy.

Featured guest speaker will be Jordan Clark, associate director and acting executive director of Harvard University Native American Program.

Featured student artists include Toussaint Miller '25 (Trumpet), Mya Johnson '25 (Breakers), Salome Agbaroji '27 (Spoken Word), Carolyn Hao '26 (Vocals) and Shrinivas Acharya (Tabla).

The Center for Wellness and Health Promotion will be onsite with the Wellness Wagon, filled with free health and wellbeing supplies and info.

This event is free and open to the public and includes light snacks! Bring your breath, bring your favorite pillow or stuffed animal. Bring your yoga mat. Come as you are, bring a friend and join us in this collective moment of community togetherness. All are welcome.

DeShaun Gordon-King (he/him) 

Known for his soulful tone and mesmerizing phrasing, Trevor James Alto Flute Artist Díjí Kay (née DeShaun Gordon-King) has given performances as a soloist and principal flute in Europe, Asia and throughout the United States. Díjí Kay grew up surrounded by griot traditions, jazz and gospel music. Inspired by the worlds and traditions of his upbringing, Díjí Kay grew passionate about programming that blends them all together to create unique and memorable concert experiences.

As he continued to expand his musical versatility, Díjí Kay has gone inward to cultivate his spiritual practice. Through meditation he understands exactly how he and his art were meant to serve the greater collective.

During his time in Boston, Díjí Kay has collaborated with Castle of Our Skins, the Celebrity Series of Boston, Shelter Music Boston and Evita at the American Repertory Theater. He is a graduate of the Longy School of Music and currently an Artist Pipeline Program Fellow at the Harvard Ed Portal.