Lift Every Voice: A Celebration of Black History
*The event has already taken place on this date: Wed, 02/24/2016
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An interdisciplinary celebration, Lift Every Voice honors the work of two towering figures in African American arts and letters, James Weldon Johnson and James Baldwin, with a program comprised of powerful presentations from the Purchase academic and artistic communities.
Johnson (1871-1938) was a poet and author, as well as a lawyer, a university professor, a diplomat, and the leader of the NAACP. Baldwin (1924-1987) was a playwright and an influential novelist, poet, essayist, and social activist.
The centerpiece of the event is the premiere of The Creation, a new dance work based on the Johnson poem of the same name, choreographed for the Purchase Dance Company by Kevin Wynn, associate professor of dance. The music was composed by Pete Malinverni, assistant professor of practice in music and program head of jazz studies, for the Soul Voices choir. Under the direction of Malinverni, Soul Voices is the premiere 60-student ensemble from all backgrounds and majors united by a shared mission—to explore and celebrate the music of the African-American experience.
The result brings the magic of Soul Voices together with the power and grace of the Purchase Dance Company as they interpret, renew, and transform Johnson’s written words into movement and song.
Other highlights include:
Purchase Repertory Theatre, directed by associate professor of acting A. Dean Irby, excerpts a scene from their recent interpretation of Baldwin’s Blues for Mr. Charlie, a timeless tragedy first produced in 1964 whose themes are unfortunately still relevant.
Genevieve Hyacinthe, assistant professor of art history, offers her interpretation of recent events, including the Black Lives Matter movement, in light of past historical and cultural precedents.
Soul Voices opens the show with a performance of Johnson’s “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” an important song widely identified as the African American national anthem.
A public reception follows in the Upper Lobby of the Performing Arts Center, where a photography exhibition, Interpretations by Conservatory of Dance student Joy-Marie Thompson is on view, in which she reimagines classic photos of African American dancers in her own image.
The event is free and open to the public.
For information please contact the School of the Arts office: 914.251.4455.
This event is part of a new event series, Crosswalks, which involve interdisciplinary, collaborative, and innovative programming aimed at seeding bold creative thought as well as social and cultural understanding throughout the Purchase community.
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