Oregon Premiere of Damien Geter’s Cantata for a more Hopeful Tomorrow
Damien Geter - composer and long-time Resonance collaborator | photo by R. Hadiashar
On Sunday, November 17, Resonance Ensemble will present the Oregon premiere of Cantata for a More Hopeful Tomorrow, a poignant five-movement work by composer and longtime Resonance collaborator, Damien Geter. The work reflects on the challenges and resiliency of Black communities during the recent pandemic, masterfully setting texts from traditional spirituals, landmark writers, and words from living artists.
Composer Damien Geter shares more about his Cantata in this short interview with Resonance Ensemble
Originally commissioned by The Washington Chorus in 2020, Geter shares “It is a fact that the pandemic has touched the Black community in a much more aggressive manner than other communities…2020 [was] a tough year. Not only because of the pandemic but because of the various other traumas that have been continuously inflicted on the Black community and our world at large…Even though things may seem tough in the present moment, there is a light that shines towards the future.”
Featuring soprano Nicole Greenidge Joseph and Oregon Symphony principal cellist Nancy Ives as soloists, the Cantata is inspired by J.S. Bach's Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen (BWV 12), masterfully blending spirituals with Western classical music traditions. This Oregon premiere of the Cantata will be conducted by Katherine FitzGibbon.
Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon and cello soloist Nancy Ives
Soprano soloist Nicole Greenidge Joseph.
A. Mimi Sei - writer, activist, and Resonance board member
Throughout the first movement, Geter intertwines Salomo Franck's original text with that of librettist Megan Levad, centering the music around Bach's passacaglia. The second movement, Prayer, features a beautiful arrangement of the spiritual I Want Jesus to Walk with Me.
In the third movement, Breathe, Geter draws from the powerful words of Resonance board member and writer A. Mimi Sei, offering a message of endurance: "Go back to the parts of you that house ambitions. Where you’ll find your glory, The drive to endure. Learn again to just breathe."
The fourth movement, Resolve, offers a stirring arrangement of There's a Balm in Gilead/By and By, leading into the final movement, Hope.
This last movement sets Walt Whitman’s “Continuities,” promising: “Nothing is ever really lost, or can be lost…."
In addition to Cantata for a More Hopeful Tomorrow, the concert will feature works by all seven members of The Blacknificent 7—a composer collective of leading composers, including Geter, Jessie Montgomery, Dave Ragland, Jasmine Barnes, Shawn Okpebholo, Carlos Simon, and Joel Thompson—each piece showcasing a unique voice to this powerful celebration of Black artistry and musical innovation. The concert will also feature the world premiere of a new composition by Dave Ragland—check out our next blog post for more on this exciting work!
TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT ARE ON SALE NOW!
WHAT: THE BLACKNIFICENT 7
WHEN: Sunday, November 17th | 2:00 PM
WHERE: Alberta Rose Theatre | 3000 NE Alberta St | Portland, OR | 97211
Read about this event by clicking here, or get your tickets below!