Science in Harmony consists of multidisciplinary presentations by astronomer and visual artist Dr. José Francisco Salgado and the harp duo Beyond Pluck consisting of Paula Bressman and Rachel Miller. They combine short films with harp duo classical music compositions and arrangements. The film topics range from neurons to the gas giant Saturn. Salgado, Bressman, and Miller have also worked with neuroscientists as part of a Music and the Brain Project, a partnership between KV 265 and the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. They enjoy speaking with and playing for young audiences through thoughtfully designed educational programs.
Beyond Pluck
Beyond Pluck is a unique harp duo that seeks to push the boundaries of the instrument through innovative collaborations, educational engagement, diverse programming, and other fun adventures. Since meeting in 2010, Paula Bressman and Rachel Miller have taken the harp duo to new and uncharted territories. Never afraid to blur genre lines, Beyond Pluck is equally at home performing masterpieces by Bach, Debussy, and others, as they are rocking their own arrangements of classic pop hits. The two bring enormous musical passion, and a sense of adventure to every project, and have been privileged to share their music across the United States as well as Puerto Rico.
José Francisco Salgado
José Francisco Salgado is an astronomer, experimental photographer, visual artist, and Emmy-nominated science communicator who creates multimedia works that communicate science in engaging ways. Salgado collaborates with orchestras, composers, and musicians to produce films that provoke curiosity and a sense of wonder about the Earth and the Universe. As an experimental photographer, Salgado has visited more than 30 scientific sites and has given presentations about science and art in all seven continents, including a presentation at the South Pole Station.
Selected Repertoire
- Andrès, B: Parvis: Cortège et Danse
- Bach, J S / arr. M L Williams: Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565
- Britten, B / arr. Tick Tock Harp Duo: Playful Pizzicato from Simple Symphony, Op 4
- Debussy, C / trans. C Salzedo: Clair de Lune from Suite Bergamasque
- de Falla, M / arr. P Masri-Fletcher: Spanish Dance No. 1 from La Vida Breve