Resonance Ensemble to Present Sold Out Evening of Black Art Song at Portland Art Museum
“Never have I felt so safe, seen, and celebrated as I do experiencing this exhibit.
I hope this performance will be the musical equivalent of this space.”
Resonance Ensemble presents a recital of art songs curated by Damien Geter and inspired by Portland Art Museum’s Black Artists of Oregon exhibit
PORTLAND, OR — Portland’s Resonance Ensemble announces Black Art Song, a recital of art songs by Black composers, hosted by the Portland Art Museum at their Black Artists of Oregon exhibit. Acclaimed composer and Resonance Ensemble co-Artistic Advisor Damien Geter curates this art song recital, to be presented Sunday, February 25, 2024.
Baritone Kenneth Overton—known to Resonance audiences from the An African American Requiem world premiere—joins sound liberator Joe Williams at the piano, performing songs by composers Margaret Bonds, Dave Ragland, Adolphus Hailstork, and more in this groundbreaking art + music collaboration.
Kenneth Overton (far right) performing during the world premiere of An African American Requiem. Photo by Rachel Hadiashar
“I’m thrilled to bring our friend Kenneth Overton back to Portland to perform a program that aligns so seamlessly with Intisar’s visionary exhibit at the Portland Art Museum,” Geter shares. “Never have I felt so safe, seen, and celebrated as I do experiencing this exhibit. I hope this performance will be the musical equivalent of this space.”
Resonance returns to the Portland Art Museum, having first collaborated with Portland Art Museum alongside Third Angle New Music for sold-out performances of Morton Feldman’s Rothko Chapel in 2011 which accompanied a Feldman exhibit.
“The Black Artists of Oregon exhibit considers both the presence and absence of Black artists and the breadth of Black artistic production in Oregon,” says curator Intisar Abioto. “I curated the exhibit with the idea of fostering community and gathering, and the Art Museum and I are thrilled that Resonance will join us and fill the galleries with powerful songs that dialogue with the visual artworks.”
Audiences are invited to download the Black Artists of Oregon activity guide as a supplemental resource for both the concert and the exhibit.
Black Art Song is generously supported by Resonance Donors for Black Excellence, Ronni Lacroute, Anonymous - For the Bachaans, the Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Cultural Trust, and the Oregon Community Foundation.
>>THIS PERFORMANCE IS SOLD OUT <<
Join the Waiting List
Note to Journalists: Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon and Artistic Advisor Damien Geter are available for print, online, and broadcast interviews. If you would like more information or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Liz Bacon Brownson at liz@resonancechoral.org or by calling (503) 427-8701.
About the Black Artists of Oregon Exhibit
The Black Artists of Oregon exhibit builds upon exhibition curator Intisar Abioto’s original research since 2018 exploring the lineage and legacy of Black artists in Oregon. The exhibition will continue Abioto’s research, which is grounded in Black American practices of listening, keeping, and passing on each others’ stories.
“Far from isolated or ancillary, Black arts and cultural production in Oregon has been in conversation and interchange with the world, and a part of its arts and cultural movements, all this time,” says Abioto. “Black Artists of Oregon is a heralding of Black presence, interchange, influence, and impact.”
Considering both the presence and absence of Black artists is critical to understanding the breadth of Black artistic production in Oregon—even in the midst of historic exclusion—as well as how the impact of that history affects our understanding of American art history and the history of the Pacific Northwest. This exhibition serves to deepen our awareness of the talented artists who have shaped and inspired artists regionally and nationally, and it will be the first of its kind to consider the work of Black artists collectively in Oregon.
About the Black Excellence in The Arts Initiative
Resonance Ensemble believes that art has the power to change the world. We go beyond conversation, exploring what it means to amplify personal stories, inspire community connections, and galvanize action.
Led by Resonance board member A. Mimi Sei, Resonance is reaching out to donors who support Black Excellence in the Arts and inviting them to sponsor key events in the name of “Resonance Donors for Black Excellence.”
Our goal is to raise $40,000 from a coalition of supporters so that we can offer $10,000 lead sponsorship for four extraordinary concerts—including Black Art Song. Additional gifts beyond our $40,000 goal will underwrite future commissions by Black composers amplifying Black experiences. Visit resonancechoral.org/donors-for-black-excellence today to learn more.
Embrace the call to action. Be a catalyst for change. Champion Black Excellence in the Arts.
FOR FURTHER READING
About Damien Geter | About Kenneth Overton | About Joe Williams
About Resonance Ensemble | About Portland Art Museum
Please note: Tickets for this event are SOLD OUT. Thanks to generous support of the Resonance Ensemble Access Project (REAP), selections from the performance will be made available online for free later this year.