An African American Requiem is "Best of Classical Music in 2022"
“My favorite musical experiences this year were a mix of grand spectacles and small pleasures, beloved old favorites and arresting new works.”
Resonance is grateful for the opportunity to share Damien Geter’s important, beautiful music with a world that needs it more than ever.
The Washington Post has deemed Damien Geter’s An African American Requiem as one of their top examples of classical music featured in 2022.
Commissioned by Portland’s Resonance Ensemble, this pivotal work memorializes the lives of Black Americans lost to racial violence in a first-of-its-kind requiem. A collaboration between Damien Geter, Resonance Ensemble, the Oregon Symphony (conductor Bill Eddins), and All Classical Portland, the world premiere was performed at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, OR, on Saturday, May 7, 2022 to a sold-out house. The live broadcast by All Classical Portland was then made available at 89.9 FM in Portland, 105.9 FM in New York, and streaming worldwide at allclassical.org.
It went on to have its East Coast premiere later that same month at the Kennedy Center. Resonance Ensemble traveled to Washington D.C. to perform with Choral Arts Society of Washington (conductor Scott Tucker) and NEWorks Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir for the East Coast premiere of An African American Requiem.
The success of this project was all was made possible because of generous support including The Oregon Community Foundation Creative Heights Initiative. Without this vital funding, this project would not have been possible.
Says Geter, “I am grateful to all of the artists and performing ensembles involved—from Oregon Symphony and All Classical, and the Choral Arts Society of Washington and NEWorks Philharmonic to my friends and soloists Brandie Sutton, Karmesha Peake, Bernard Holcomb, Kenneth Overton, Norman Shankle, and Jacqueline Echols, and S. Renee Mitchell.
“I want to especially thank Resonance Ensemble, who made both the commissioning of the piece and the coordination of both premieres possible. Artistic Director Katherine FitGibbon was instrumental in making sure this piece was heard.”
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