Rayna Chou '15, '17 MM Named One of WBUR's ARTery 25

Alumna Rayna Chou '15, '17 MM has recently been named one of WBUR's "ARTery 25"—25 artists of color in the Greater Boston area who are transforming the cultural landscape through their work. WBUR shares:

Each [artist] brings tenacity and rigor to their art, whether it's on the stage, on a canvas, or served up on a plate. They uplift those in their orbit, and deliver an incisive perspective on the world around them.

In 2019, Chou launched a free public art project in Boston and Cambridge called "Concert for One" in collaboration with Celebrity Series of Boston. Chou began developing the project during her time at NEC; she received an Entrepreneurial Musicianship grant for the idea, and first launched it in her home of Taiwan before bringing it to the Boston area.

The project, according to Chou, was her way of exploring whether it was possible to "create middle grounds where people of all backgrounds can simply encounter and experience music in new ways"; according to WBUR and Chou:

It also showed the New England Conservatory grad that it was possible to reshape the classical performer-audience dynamic. Chou believes music is universal, and concerts are inclusive. "I have witnessed the power an art project has in public on an unsuspecting public," she says. "I think it is beautiful to create art that becomes a part of life."

Chou's second project, "Hear the Light," premiered last year in Taiwan (when live events were still permitted). It was an immersive installation where participants entering a dark tunnel follow the sound of music to find their way to a beautiful garden with live music. She hopes to recreate "Hear the Light" soon in Boston as well.

You can hear Chou speak more about "Concert for One" in the 2019 video below: