Bash the Trash (BTT) is an educational music ensemble founded in 1989 that promotes environmental and science awareness using musical instruments made from trash. The brainchild of husband-and-wife co-founders John Bertles & Carina Piaggio, BTT is a model for a new kind of creative ensemble – a diverse community of 35+ artist/educators with common environmental goals but differing methods and resources. BTT has reached over a million schoolchildren through live in-person and virtual shows/workshops; performs biannually for Carnegie Hall’s Family Days among many other programs; and creates and produces environmental awareness events in their own community such as the 2019 RiverBash EcoMusic Festival. In 2018 BTT provided a set of instruments created from beach trash for the Tony-award-winning Broadway show Once on This Island, garnering nominations for Drama Desk Award for Best Orchestration and Grammy Award for Best Cast Album.
Come have a cup of coffee with John and Carina and learn how they are creating environmental awareness through their creative performances, programs and social initiatives!