Exploring The Met's "Musical Bodies" with E. Bradley Strauchen-Scherer and Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim

Join us for a night of art, music, and inspiration, with curator of The Met's Musical Bodies exhibit, E. Bradley Strauchen-Scherer, in conversation with cultural critic Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim. Together, we will learn how music is intrinsic to the human experience, and share in our collective drive towards harmony.

This event will take place in person and online at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library on the 7th Floor.

From stringed instruments with faces to gloves that control pitch with the sweep of a hand, Musical Bodies considers the question: when making music, when does the body end and the instrument begin? Published in conjunction with the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition of the same name, the exhibition book compiles historical and contemporary musical instruments from the museum’s extensive collection along with rigorous interdisciplinary research. This playful, surprising, and sometimes subversive text invites audiences to move, dance, and make music, all while enjoying exquisite treasures from the Met’s collection. 

The Met's Musical Bodies exhbition will run through September 27, 2026.

To join the event in person | Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

To view the livestream | Whether you're attending in person or online, you must register with your email address. You will need a device with audio and/or video and an internet/cellular connection to view the livestream.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS

Dr. Bradley Strauchen-Scherer is Curator in the Department of Musical Instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she led the recent renovation and reinterpretation of the five permanent music galleries. Her exhibition work, publications, and teaching explore the intersections between music, instruments, art, and society. Additional research interests include historical performance practice, history of collecting, and nineteenth-century concert life. Before moving to New York, Bradley was Deputy Keeper of Musical Instruments at the Horniman Museum in London and lecturer in history of performance practice at Goldsmith’s College, University of London. She received her PhD from the University of Oxford and is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music. 

Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim is a cultural critic and audience whisperer dedicated to the art of listening. Her articles on music, books and poetry have appeared in publications including the Atlantic, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. In 2019 she founded Beginner’s Ear, a listening program exploring the intersection of mindfulness and sound. Over the following five years, she presented her unique brand of meditation concerts in spaces ranging from Lincoln Center to a nature preserve and a federal prison. In print and in person, she is passionate about demystifying art and unlocking the wisdom and beauty of music.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTES

In-Person

• Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue.


• ASL interpretation and real-time captioning (CART) are available upon request. Please submit your request via this form or contact SNFL at least two weeks in advance.


• This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs.

Livestream

• ASL interpretation and real-time captioning (CART) also available (see previous).


• Captions and a transcript will be provided.

CONNECT WITH US

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All programs are subject to change or cancellation. All events at The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library are subject to recording and photography. 

The 7 Stories Up Series at SNFL is made possible by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).