Concert Reflection: The Blacknificent 7
This past weekend, Resonance Ensemble shared a program of choral music by seven leading composers. The works, curated by Blacknificent 7 composer and long-time Resonance friend, Damien Geter, included the world premiere of a new work by Dave Ragland, and a rare opportunity to hear the choral music of this extraordinary collective in a single program. Today, we share some of our favorite moments from the program.
The choir began unconducted, performing Jasmine Barnes’ THE FALL
Opening the program, two works by Jasmine Barnes. While the first work, The Fall, features quick changes in mood, tempo, and a plethora of solo moments, Resonance performed the work unconducted—featuring soloists Madeline Ross, Cecille Elliott, and Shohei Kobayashi throughout the piece.
In Sometimes I Cry, Barnes shares a far more reflective tone, demanding ensemble precision and balance throughout as it builds to a large, climactic chord.
Audiences were moved to tears by the quietly powerful Affirmations by Carlos Simon, who hoped the work would encourage listeners to “speak well of themselves and to believe the best about who they are.” With powerful ensemble moments and lush harmonies, one highlight of this work included spoken moments by beloved composer and Resonance Ensemble performer, Judy A. Rose.
Judy A. Rose reading during AFFIRMATIONS by Carlos Simon
Nancy Ives and Nicole Greenidge Joseph performing LOISAIDA, MY LOVE by Jessie Montgomery
Katherne FitzGibbon leads the choir and cellist Nancy Ives during MEDITATION by Joel Thompson
Next, Resonance welcomed Oregon Symphony principal cellist Nancy Ives, and guest soprano soloist, Nicole Greenidge Joseph to the stage for a rendition of Jessie Montgomery’s Loisaida, My Love that brought the house down. With Joseph moving effortlessly between English and Spanish of the Bimbo Ravas text, and Ives artfully playing with the instrumental responses, listeners particularly enjoyed the wonderfully-connected interactions between the two performers.
Joel Thompson’s short work, Meditation, included another performance by Nancy Ives on cello, this time underneath the full force of the choral ensemble. The text, by Jacqueline Woodson, is short but packs a punch - particularly in the hands of such a master composer as Joel Thompson: Even the silence has a story to tell you. Just listen. Listen.
Dave Ragland introduces his new work, SEVEN PRAYERS: HOPE FOR EVERYONE
Without a doubt, one of the highlights of the program was the world premiere of a newly-commissioned work by B7 composer, Dave Ragland: Seven Prayers: Hope for Everyone. Setting reflections by “diverse individuals from across the United States,” the piece shares seven prayers of hope from thinkers from age 11 to “80-something.” Our audiences in Portland were especially pleased to see, in movement 5, words by our very own Joe Cantrell: We are the land, and we are water, and they are us. For we have come from land and water, and to them, we shall return.
Dave Ragland accepts a thunderous applause and standing ovation after his work
After intermission, the Resonance Ensemble treble voices took the stage with pianist Claire Forstman for a deeply-moving setting of Deep River by Shawn E. Okpebholo. Forstman wonderfully followed the intricate dynamic-shaping of the choir, led by conductor Shohei Kobayashi.
Claire Forstman performs alongside the Resonance treble voices, led by conductor Shohei Kobayashi
Again featuring our treble voices, Danse Africaine is a demanding work by Jessie Montgomery that proved to be an audience favorite. Setting a work by Langston Hughes, Montgomery masterfully text-paints the “low slow beating of the tom-toms” throughout the work as vocalists bounce and echo hocketing patterns of nonsense syllables under the text. Featuring soloist Maria Collinsworth, the work is at once energetic and mysterious, building to a short climactic gliss by the ensemble before settling back into a groove. The final push, starting at a much slower tempo than the rest of the piece and building into an increasingly faster frenzy, ended with a final gliss by the ensemble that elicited both cheers and laughter from the audience.
Nicole Greenidge Joseph hits a big note as Katherine FitzGibbon leads Resonance and cellist Nancy Ives during Damien Geter’s CANTATA FOR A MORE HOPEFUL TOMORROW.
Closing out the performance was the Oregon premiere of Damien Geter’s Cantata for a More Hopeful Tomorrow, featuring Nicole Greenidge Joseph and Nancy Ives, as well as soloists Vakare Petroliunaite, Sarah Beaty, Shohei Kobayashi, and Kevin Walsh. Inspired by traditional African American spirituals and J.S. Bach’s Cantata, this five-movement work explores both despair and hope through its setting of traditional spiritual texts and texts by landmark writers like Walt Whitman, as well as by living writers like A. Mimi Sei. With the full force of Resonance Ensemble, the impeccable performances of the soloists, and the expert leading by Katherine FitzGibbon, the final note of the piece was received with an erupting of applause, cheers, and a standing ovation.
Katherine FitzGibbon, Dave Ragland, and Shohei Kobayashi during the post-concert panel
After the program, guest composer Dave Ragland and conductors Katherine FitzGibbon and Shohei Kobayashi spoke with audience members as part of a post-concert panel, discussing the commission, what the piece meant to Ragland now, as well as how one can keep hope alive in times of despair.
We are so grateful to the nearly 300 audience members who came to hear the performance at the Alberta Rose Theatre, sharing this special program of choral music with Resonance Ensemble. We will be sharing video recordings from the program in the coming months, so check back soon for more!
UP NEXT FOR RESONANCE | CHOIR GRRRL
WHAT | Resonance Ensemble treble voices are joined by Pulitzer-Prize winning composer and musician, Caroline Shaw + performances by Ringdown (Shaw/Danni Lee)—including new arrangements of their songs to include choir—and featuring a world premiere plus other original compositions by Cecille Elliott
WHEN | Saturday, February 8th, 2025 @7:30pm
WHERE | Aladdin Theatre
