The purpose of music is to reduce human isolation. It reminds us that we share this life together, much as Aristotle describes the role of theater. Music has always spoken to deep, non-verbal needs that can't easily be addressed in any other way. By reducing isolation, we foster a compassionate attitude, opening the mind to a larger view of life and the people around us. The mission of Washington Musica Viva is to bring people together to experience music in a way that permits music to perform this ancient function, as undiluted and simply as possible.
Whereas Washington Musica Viva comes out of a Euro-classical tradition of chamber music, the thrust of its efforts has been to push past conventional boundaries. This has been accomplished by collaborations with jazz composers and artists, commissions of works that transcend convention, and performance of works from an extraordinary diversity of origins. In addition, and perhaps most significantly, under Banner's direction, classical works are interpreted as if freshly written, with a porosity and vulnerability to the present, and a full awareness of contemporary culture.