By Rhett Del Campo, managing director of Seraphic Fire 

cross-pol·li·na·tion

noun: 2. Influence or inspiration between or among diverse elements I stood at a panoramic wall of windows in the new and stunning Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). My gaze alternated between thought-provoking works of art and the colorful, trance-inducing Miami skyline as it reflected on a shimmering, moonlit Biscayne Bay. Already in sensory immersion, another sense announced itself, transforming the experience into something almost euphoric––I heard angelic voices echoing through the museum’s galleries as Seraphic Fire performed Los Angeles-based American composer Morten Lauridsen’s “Sure on this Shining Night.”

The term of the month at Seraphic Fire has been cross-pollination. Our collaboration with PAMM had me envisioning future opportunities for mixing the two expressive mediums of visual arts and choral arts (three, if you include the fluid, contemporary architecture that served as the mixing bowl). As new cultural icons take root in Miami, opportunities emerge to engage with our communities through innovative partnerships as we weave new threads into the cultural fiber of the burgeoning arts mecca that is South Florida.

I find myself excited for another joint venture that represents this quest for innovation. Made possible by Knight Foundation, Seraphic Fire will collaborate for the first time with New York-based period ensemble the Sebastians this November. With a performance in another new-to-Miami venue, the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, an expert instrumental group from up the East Coast partners with a South Florida institution that has come an impressively long way in just over 12 years.

The Sebastians bring a high level of expertise and authenticity to Seraphic Fire’s performances of Antonio Vivaldi’s joyous “Gloria.” The modern and ideally sized performance space at at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center makes a perfect launchpad for an event we hope becomes a tradition.

As different forms of art continue to mix in South Florida, the potential for each to increase its audience while offering loyalists new opportunities to explore what they already love in fresh, sensory-rich ways continues to build. This cross-pollination is a way to lure current patrons back, to experience what I did during our gala event at PAMM, but it also serves an equally important purpose: to expand our reach to new audiences through accessible and affordable events.

Miami has become a hub of culture and arts. Seraphic Fire is privileged to be part of this landscape. Boosted by joining forces with ensembles like the Sebastians and institutions like the beautiful South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, we continue exploring ways to make new art, engage and grow.

Seraphic Fire performs at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center on Nov. 9. Visit the group’s website for performance details and tickets.