“Portland Protests” delivers works with purpose.
Artists Kenji Bunch and A. Mimi Sei (left) and Judy A. Rose and Vin Shambry embrace following the concert
Earlier this month, Resonance Ensemble presented a concert of vocal music and poetry in dialogue with film, visual art, and photography. Curating an evening of what OregonArtsWatch has deemed “works with purpose,” co-artistic advisor and conductor Shohei Kobayashi’s vision explored a wide range of reactions to the Portland protests of 2020. Audiences were invited to consider and intentionally remember our city’s past, collectively grieve, and dare to envision more just futures.
Today, we share highlights from the program complemented by images captured by photographer Rachel Hadiashar. Thanks to our REAP initiative, online audiences will soon be invited to enjoy the concert virtually on our YouTube channel. (Click here to be added to the invite list!)
PORTLAND PROTESTS: THROUGH FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY
Still image from Arresting Power: Resisting Police Violence in Portland, Oregon
Throughout the program, the concert was interspersed with video excerpts from the moving documentary, Arresting Power: Resisting Police Violence in Portland, Oregon. Produced by local filmmakers Jodi Darby, Julie Perini, and Erin Yanke, the clips chosen feature members of Portland’s reform and abolition movements to help audience members further understand the impacts of police brutality in our own community, and imagine a world without institutionalized violence.
Also complementing the music and paintings was the photography of Tojo Andrianarivo. Images of the 2020 Portland protests provided powerful context throughout the concert.
The photo above the choir, taken by Tojo Andrainarivo reads: Black History is Our History. Black voices matter, Black pain matters, Black joy matters, Black men matter, Black women matter, Black feminism matters, Black spaces matter, Black healing matters.
PORTLAND PROTESTS: THROUGH COMPOSERS REMEMBERED
The program opened with a beautiful setting of the St. Francis Prayer by Margaret Bonds, whose impressive and rich catalogue of works has recently enjoyed a vivid resurgence in the classical music world. The lush textures ascend as the text asks to be the light in a dark place, to be hope where there is none, and to be a channel of peace in a world of chaos.
“Portland PROtests…Portland proTESTS…I think it’s both” Conductor Shohei Kobayashi
Pianist Hannah Brewer
Later in the program, another Bonds work, Troubled Waters—a darkly playful and cinematic interpretation of the spiritual “Wade in the Water” for solo piano. Starting with a low burble and building to gushing lines with towering leaps, Hannah Brewer’s dynamic, powerful, and graceful performance highlighted the fresh, contemporary feel of this Bonds work despite being one of the oldest works on the program for the evening.
PORTLAND PROTESTS: THROUGH LOCAL COMPOSERS AND POETS
Freshly-commissioned by Resonance, poetry and music by acclaimed local poets and composers were highlights of the concert. With texts from writer A. Mimi Sei, Resonance Ensemble Poet-in-Residence S. Renee Mitchell, and spoken word artist Vin Shambry set to music by Judy A. Rose, Kimberly Osberg, and Fear No Music’s Kenji Bunch, audiences will be invited to consider and intentionally remember our city’s past, collectively grieve, and dare to envision more just futures.
COMMISSION #1 RE-FLEC
Poetry by Vin Shambry
Composed by Judy A. Rose
RE-FLEC, a powerfully direct and hauntingly vivid depiction of the thoughts running through the speaker’s mind in the wake of yet another police-involved murder was the first of the three commissions to premiere. Alberta House director and poet, Vin Shambry read his poetry before the new piece was performed.
“My sense of loss stems from knowing any moment that I could be killed...History keeps repeating itself, our black bodies are turned into symbols. What if some of us chant, because we’re scared to be the chant?”
Composer and Portland-local Judy A. Rose left audiences in a breathless silence for nearly half a minute following the performance of her setting of RE-FLEC. Solos by Emily Lau and Onry soared over the ensemble texture—using not only a wide range of chorus textures, but powerful writing for the string quartet (from Portland’s beloved contemporary music organization, Fear No Music) and piano as well. A gut-wrenching work, this piece will certainly stay with listeners and performers alike for years to come.
Alberta House director Vin Shambry reads his poem, RE-FLEC.
Onry performs the spoken word solo from RE-FLEC
Guest composer Judy A. Rose following the premiere of her work.
“Where is the healing in all of this? Who is fighting for what? Where is the joy? The justice? An evoking of love?”
COMMISSION #2
SEEK WHAT YOU WANT TO FIND
Poet: S. Renee Mitchell
Composer: Kimberly Osberg
Also in conversation with Pander’s works—both the flood series as well as his colorful and dramatic depictions of the 2020 protests—was Dr. S. Renee Mitchell’s poem, Seek What You Want to Find. The text explores both the despair of the events captured, as well as the hope one can draw from these images—focusing on resilience, dignity, and humanity. Saturday’s audiences heard Dr. Mitchell read and our Sunday audience heard the poem read by poet Kendall Clay-Brown.
Poet-in-Residence Dr. S. Renee Mitchell performs her work, “Seek What You Want to Find”
Composer (and Resonance team member!) Kimberly R. Osberg set the text for chorus and string quartet—weaving the theme from Wade in the Water (which appears in the poem) with original motives depicting combat and chaos as well as hope and resilience. Brilliant and shimmering performances from the string quartet along with commanding solo moments from Vakare Petroliunaite, Cecille Elliott, Brandon Michael, and DeReau K. Farrar vividly captured the complexity of the events depicted in the paintings.
Guest composer Kimberly R. Osberg and conductor Shohei Kobayashi embrace after the performance of her work.
Resonance Ensemble performs “Seek What You Want to Find”
COMMISSION #3
Shout Out
Poetry by A. Mimi Sei
Composed by Kenji Bunch
Later in the program came a much-needed burst of hope from poet A. Mimi Sei—whose poem Shout Out, invites the reader to be motivated to action rather than to sit frozen in despair. The poem was beautifully accompanied by photos from Tojo, reminding audience members of not only the difficulty and division of the 2020 protests, but also of the great community outpouring and push towards change.
“We undressed lies, brandished our pain, Stood watch and shouted, “Never again!””
Guest composer A. Mimi Sei performs her work, “Shout Out”
Cellist Valdine Mishkin with Resonance Ensemble
Starting with sparse, percussive hits from a tambourine and caxixi and a simple repeating note from cellist Valdine Mishkin, the piece begins with much of the choir being divided from one another—joining only at key moments to highlight the gradual coming together. The work builds into an uproarious chorus of syncopated textures and playful counterpoint from the cello as the choir repeats “sing out, shout out, in wondrous harmony", before boldly ending in a quiet, reflective unison texture.
Guest composer Kenji Bunch following the premiere of his work, Shout Out.
PORTLAND PROTESTS: THROUGH VISUAL ART
Henk Pander’s Paintings
For the set of works by David Lang, anthems, audiences were invited to wander the space to get a closer look at the installation of paintings by local painter, Henk Pander that were on display Historic Alberta House. Listeners’ experience of the paintings were accompanied by sparse, meticulous invocations by the ensemble—both voices and strings—as well as a transcendent solo by Vakare Petroliunaite. In addition to the paintings, a short documentary on Henk Pander (produced by his son, titled The Stain) also played in the lobby.
Audience members walk throughout Alberta House to view the paintings on display.
PORTLAND PROTESTS: THROUGH HARMONY
To close the program, Joel Thompson’s powerfully bittersweet setting of two poems by Langston Hughes pleads with the listener to “hold fast to dreams.” Gorgeously lush, heartbreakingly conflicted harmonies left audiences holding both the pain of our communal memories of these events, as well as the challenge to envision a better Portland—for every member of our community.
Audience graciously gives a standing ovation upon conclusion of the concert.
PORTLAND PROTESTS: A PANEL DISCUSSION
From the panel discussion with artists
After the program, several of the artists involved spoke with artistic director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon to share more about their experiences in creating, rehearsing, and sharing these works. The audience asked questions and shared their thoughts on the paintings, photos, film excerpts, poems, and compositions shared throughout the program.
A MOMENT OF GRATITUDE
From the artists and performers, and our team here at Resonance Ensemble, thank you for being a part of this weekend of community healing and reflection. The full concert—including the panel discussion—will be available for free next month.
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.
To support our initiative to provide free, high-quality videos of our performances, visit the Resonance Ensemble Access Project (REAP) page—and help us keep this vital accessibility tool alive!
UP NEXT: FREE WORLD PREMIERE FILM SCREENING!
Click here to read more about Around the Requiem, showing Friday, April 21st.
