UPCOMING EVENTS
More about Vitamin Em’s Dorothy Day House project:
During the pandemic, Vitamin Em violist Emily Onderdonk was introduced to Dorothy Day House and felt a strong need to bring awareness to the organization and a deep desire to ensure equitable access to music. She felt Dorothy Day House’s mission, to foster a compassionate and collaborative environment focused on the individual and collective happiness of everyone who comes through the organization’s doors, was a perfect place to develop a new model of community activism that combines art with service. The City of Berkeley Civic Arts grant has allowed Vitamin Em and Dorothy Day House to further this model by coming together, taking action, and providing a voice to people experiencing homelessness.
Formed in 2015, Vitamin Em is a collective of some of the top musicians in the Bay Area - creators and performers with well-established careers, drawn to collaborate with each other in new and exciting ways. Their goal is to create joyful, uplifting, and moving performances of original and diverse music. Vitamin Em features Evan Price and Mads Tolling on violin, Emily Onderdonk on viola, Michael Graham on cello, Paul Hanson on bassoon, and Rob Reich on accordion.
"Dorothy Day said ‘Food for the Body is not Enough, There must be Food for the Soul.’ I cannot imagine a better way to bring joy to the soul than through music, says Dorothy Day House Executive Director Robbi Montoya. “Our partnership with Vitamin Em is a beautiful example of sharing joy and harmony to the Berkeley community we serve.”
“We wanted to collaborate and bring our music to the Dorothy Day House because of their three decades of service, their quiet dedication and consistency in administering this service, and the caring and sensitive approach to their work,” said Vitamin Em violist Emily Onderdonk. “Dorothy Day House is a crucial resource for those in need and we want our music to help be the catalyst for people to learn about and support this transformative organization.”
To support continued development of the Dorothy Day House Project, go to https://www.vitaminemband.com/dorothy-day-house-project
To support the work of Dorothy Day House, visit here.