TAKING A STAND
SHOULD BE THE STANDARD.
PROTESTRA (protest + orchestra) bridges the divide between advocacy and classical music through grassroots orchestral benefit concerts.
Our new vision for classical music prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, representation, and accessibility.
OUR STORY
First assembled in 2017 and formally incorporated in 2020, PROTESTRA is a volunteer-run orchestra and 501(c)(3) organization. PROTESTRA’s grassroots orchestral benefit concerts inspire activism by contextualizing classical music performance through multimedia education, and turn voluntary audience donations into targeted support for mission- and policy-driven groups related to the concerts’ themes. PROTESTRA prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, representation, and accessibility in both its hiring and programming practices. Additionally, PROTESTRA maintains a robust social media presence, creating and sharing original content and resources with 8,000+ followers across multiple platforms.
NEWS & EVENTS
Community Chords:
String Orchestra Music
from Around the World
Join PROTESTRA for a family-friendly, multicultural holiday celebration with strings! Community Chords: String Orchestra Music from Around the World is a string orchestra concert that combines two important pillars of culture: music and food! Our community partner for this event is EVLoves NYC, a food kitchen that has prepared weekly meals for the food insecure since 2020.
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Live from New York: Michelle Rofrano
Article by Jonathan Shia for Cero Magazine
Photography by Maru Teppei
"This past February, on a clear but chilly Sunday, guests with tickets to Protestra's latest concert received an urgent email just hours before showtime with a schedule and venue change. Frozen pipes had flooded the original location, leaving Michelle Rofrano, the orchestra’s founder and music director, barely enough time to secure a new spot to present the program of Barber, Tchaikovsky, and a recent work by the Métis composer Karen Sunabacka to raise awareness around mental health."