Of Thee I Sing! Songs of Love and Justice with Soprano Karen Slack

Of Thee I Sing! Songs of Love and Justice is a critically acclaimed recital created by soprano Karen Slack in the late Summer of 2020 during the height of the pandemic and just after the murder of George Floyd. The center of this moving program is the raw and powerful yet hopeful Langston Hughes poem, “The Kids Who Die” (1938), and a commissioned setting of that riveting text by American composer Scott Gendel. Gendel’s stirring tour de force is presented alongside vocal masterworks by distinguished American composers from H.T Burleigh to Clayton White, Undine Smith Moore, H. Leslie Adams, Ricky Ian Gordon, Adolphus Hailstork and Jake Heggie. Curated by Ms. Slack with intention and care, this impactful program features songs exploring the themes of love and justice as a reminder that no matter your race, ethnicity, politics etc., we are all human! Through these soaring melodies and beautiful texts, Ms. Slack and pianist Kamilla Arku offer a musical journey rooted in a shared understanding that without LOVE there can never be liberty or JUSTICE for all.

Recently named Babson College’s new Artist in Residence, Karen Slack is an incredible artist and entrepreneur.  Her residency begins in March 2024 with an intensive multi-day program featuring talks, workshops, and culminating in Friday evening’s performance.