LISTEN: A Concert Reflection
The stage is set! | Photo by Cecille Elliott
A PERFECT OPENING TO OUR 15th ANNIVERSARY SEASON: REVOLUTION 15
This past weekend, our 15th anniversary season began with LISTEN. This live performance of our debut album was an evening filled with testament to the cherished collaborations and commissioned works that continue to celebrate the transformative power of music. Today, we take a moment to reflect on some of the highlights.
Altos Cecily Kiester and Kristen Buhler sing Melissa Dunphy’s “LISTEN” under the dramatic image of Christine Blasey Ford, from the slideshow that played throughout the performance. | Photo by Joe Cantrell
AND SO IT BEGINS…
The treble singers kicked things off with Melissa Dunphy’s LISTEN that took audience members through some of the powerful words of Anita Hill and Christine Blasey Ford from their testimonies at Supreme Court confirmation hearings. This heart-wrenching work was commissioned by Resonance Ensemble in 2019 and originally premiered on our Women Singing Women concert.
Those attending We Dissent last year will remember the lush and embracing When the Dust Settles by composer Mari Esabel Valverde. Another treble-voice feature, this affirming declaration of trans lives by Amir Rabiyah centers on the work and words of Miss Major Griffin-Gracy—a former grass roots organizer and lifelong transgender and intersex rights activist from coast. The work remains as timely as when it was first written, and Resonance Ensemble was honored to share this declaration with listeners once more this past weekend.
A SYMPHONY OF COLLABORATIONS AND COMMISSIONED WORKS
Poet and composer Vin Shambry took the stage to reprise his solo performance of Brother Man. In Vin’s own words, the work allows him to “share our struggles, triumphs, and gifts and brings the Black story in America to life.” While the work is brief, the impact was deeply felt by audiences throughout the weekend—Vin’s beautiful voice and impactful poetry receiving richly-deserved applause following each performance.
“Being a Black creative person to me means having the ability to preserve our culture beautifully. This purpose means everything to me.”
Following Vin’s performance, the treble-voices returned for another work describing unjust persecution—this time for Stacey Philipp’s work, Witch Trial. With text taken from a trial testimony hailing from the Salem Witch Trials (1692-1693), the work powerfully depicts both the accused and the accusers. Emma Lynn Abrams’ soprano solo beautifully soared over the powerful and aggressive chorus of denouncers, capturing the complex emotions of this highly theatrical work.
Resonance singers perform “You Do Not Walk Alone” under the images of people who have stood with us throughout the years. | Photo by Emma Rose Lynn
Finally bringing in our lower voices, the first single from the album, You Do Not Walk Alone by Dominick DiOrio beautifully showcases the full range and blend of the choir—providing a deep comfort after so much pain in the previous works. Immediately following this a cappella work and featuring gorgeously lush interjections by pianist Hannah Brewer, Jake Runestad’s The Peace of Wild Things took listener’s through the beauty and comfort of nature. Where You Do Not Walk Alone relies on great sensitivity and precision—offering comfort in quiet and intimacy— Runestad’s work rises in powerful swells, bold declarations of emotion, and radiant ecstasy.
Next was Steven Sametz’s I Have Had Singing. While a great many of the works featured included quite a bit of countrapuntal lines and intricate trading, Steven Sametz’s more simple textures allowed for Resonance Ensemble to highlight their full ensemble sound—moving together in precise movements and proving the group’s expansive range.
HONORING A TOUCHSTONE — RESONANCE’S FIRST COMMISSION IS PERFORMED
The program closed with the first piece we commissioned way back in 2014: Renée Favand-See’s stunning five-movement work, Only in Falling. Setting poetry by Wendell Berry, the work honors the joyful journey of carrying her son Owen and giving birth to him, and also honored the sorrowful journey since losing him just seven days after he was born. In her program notes, Renée states “One of the most powerful aspects of music is its ability to hold more than one thought or feeling at once,” which she does to great effect throughout the work. With solos by Cecily Kiester, Vakarė Petroliūnaitė, Les Green, and Kevin Walsh and a demanding set of overlapping lines, moods, and complex rhythms throughout the work, Only in Falling is a work that Resonance Ensemble was proud to commission and we fall in love more deeply each time we revisit it.
Following each performance, audience members were invited to stay for a post-panel discussion with artists Vin Shambry, Stacey Philipps, Renée Favand-See, and Katherine FitzGibbon. Deeply engaged by the works, audience members stayed asked questions and heard more from the artists about their work and experiences.
Singing Only in falling by R. Favand-See | Photo by Joe Cantrell
AS ALWAYS, OUR UNENDING GRATITUDE…
Resonance Ensemble is grateful to all of the artists, performers, volunteers, and attendees who made LISTEN possible—it’s hard to imagine a more appropriate launch to such an important anniversary, and it was deeply meaningful to have so many of our supporters, collaborators, and friends with us this past weekend.
We invite you to explore our Enhance Your Experience page to learn more about the topics, artists, and works shared as part of this program.
BUY OUR DEBUT ALBUM AND STAY TUNED FOR THE RECORDED VIDEO of LISTEN!
LISTEN, is now available for purchase on our store. Thanks to our REAP Initiative, the live performance was recorded and will be available via livestream for free later this year. If you would like to help support the continued access to free recordings of our performances, please consider a donation to the Resonance Ensemble Access Project (REAP) initiative.
