ARKAI will conduct a two-day residency program with Staples High School Orchestras in October.

ARKAI is a dynamic duo featuring violinist Jonathan Miron and cellist Philip Sheegog. Winners of the 2021 Astral Artists National Auditions, their diverse genre-bending music forges new possibilities for violin and cello. Miron and Sheegog met at Juilliard where they joined forces to conduct performances at acclaimed concert halls around the world.

Their workshops will include performances interspersed with inspirational talks exploring concepts of life as 21st-century performing artists, finding one’s creative voice through curiosity, listening as an art, and sharing tips on using music technology within a diverse and rapidly-evolving world. Additional workshops will be interactive, including playing one of ARKAI's original tunes with the orchestras and introducing aural learning and improvisation. 

This program, coordinated by Music for Youth, is brought to Staples High School by the Town of Westport through an allocation of a portion of its American Rescue Plan Act funding to local non-profits arts organizations. The Westport Art Advisory Committee organized the application process.