Join us for conversation, music, and poetry as we look at classical music, race relations in America, and the movement for Black Lives, through the prism of Onovwerosuoke’s kaleidoscopic work, “A Triptych of American Voices: A Cantata of the People.”
“We breathe the same air, want the same things. We need to talk.” —Michael Castro, the late Poet Laureate of St. Louis
Coro Allegro, Boston’s LGBTQ+ and allied classical chorus, and Artistic Director David Hodgkins, present the premiere of a new online series, Amplifying Black Voices. led by Black artists, advocates, composers, conductors, with whom we've been proud to collaborate.
The series premiere, “We Need to Talk” features award-winning composer Fred Onovswerosuoke and his A Triptych of American Voices: A Cantata of the People, commissioned for and premiered by Coro Allegro in 2019. This work by an immigrant composer shines light on race in America through three great poems: “Sympathy” (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings) by Paul Laurence Dunbar, “As I Grew Older,” by Langston Hughes, and “We Need to Talk,” by Michael Castro.
Guests: Adelia Parker-Castro, artist; Christopher Wilkins, Music Director of the Boston Landmarks Orchestra; Tai Oney, countertenor, Jonas Budris, tenor; Willis Emmons and Zach Durant-Emmons, co-commissioners.
Moderated by Coro Allegro Artistic Director David Hodgkins and Executive Director Yoshi Campbell
"The entire work is designed as a partnership of voices and musicians sharing aspects of one grand song. It is a commentary on the contemporary American political climate, of a people seemingly entrapped in ongoing, unrelenting and partisan tribal political discourse, of a people who indeed 'know why the caged bird sings.'” — Fred Onovwerosuoke
RSVP for a link.
This is a free event but donations to support the Amplifying Black Voices series are welcome!
Email: info@coroallegro.org
Additional time info:
“We breathe the same air, want the same things. We need to talk.” —Michael Castro, the late Poet Laureate of St. Louis
Coro Allegro, Boston’s LGBTQ+ and allied classical chorus, and Artistic Director David Hodgkins, present the premiere of a new online series, Amplifying Black Voices. led by Black artists, advocates, composers, conductors, with whom we've been proud to collaborate.
The series premiere, “We Need to Talk” features award-winning composer Fred Onovswerosuoke and his “A Triptych of American Voices: A Cantata of the People,” commissioned for and premiered by Coro Allegro in 2019. This work by an immigrant composer shines light on race in America through three great poems: “Sympathy” (“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”) by Paul Laurence Dunbar, “As I Grew Older,” by Langston Hughes, and “We Need to Talk,” by Michael Castro.
Guests: Adelia Parker-Castro, artist; Christopher Wilkins, Music Director of the Boston Landmarks Orchestra; Tai Oney, countertenor, and Jonas Budris, tenor; Willis Emmons and Zach Durant-Emmons, co-commissioners. Moderated by Coro Allegro Artistic Director David Hodgkins and Executive Director Yoshi Campbell
"The entire work is designed as a partnership of voices and musicians sharing aspects of one grand song. It is a commentary on the contemporary American political climate, of a people seemingly entrapped in ongoing, unrelenting and partisan tribal political discourse, of a people who indeed 'know why the caged bird sings.'” — Fred Onovwerosuoke
2021/03/14 - 2021/03/14
Online/Virtual Space