Chicago Sinfonietta gave its annual tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Chicago Sinfonietta gave its annual tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - by Natalia Dagenhart
"The symphony orchestra can become inclusive. The symphony orchestra can become diverse. Music, classical music in particular, should be available to anyone and everyone regardless of race, religion, gender and age. And this is what we thrive to do with the Chicago Sinfonietta - to make it available to everyone," said the founder of the Chicago Sinfonietta Maestro Freeman remembering his meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. just three weeks before Dr. King was assassinated.
The Chicago Sinfonietta, one of the most diverse orchestras in the United States, follows the legacy of Dr. King and Maestro Freeman. Each concert and each performance of this great musical institution keeps developing, modeling and promoting diversity, inclusion, and both racial and cultural equity in the arts through the universal language of symphonic music. It became a great tradition for the Chicago Sinfonietta to give an annual tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year, this event took place at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie on January 14, at Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville on January 15, and at the Symphony Center in Chicago on January 16.
I was lucky to see this concert at the Naperville location, and as always after attending Chicago Sinfonietta's annual tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I felt inspired, optimistic, happy and full of hope and belief. In our controversial world full of hatred, injustice and inequality, we all need something that unites us in spite of our differences in beliefs, background and origin. We all need to find common grounds and build our future based on our similarities, basic human needs and values. No matter whether you are black, Hispanic or white; no matter whether you are American, German or Russian - all that counts is whether you are a good person or not, and whether you stand for love and justice or for hatred and dishonesty.
In his speech "Loving Your Enemies" Martin Luther King, Jr. said about fighting oppression and about love: "There is another way [to fight oppression]. And that is to organize mass non-violent resistance based on the principle of love. It seems to me that this is the only way as our eyes look to the future. As we look out across the years and across the generations, let us develop and move right here. We must discover the power of love, the power, the redemptive power of love. And when we discover that, we will be able to make of this old world a new world. We will be able to make men better. Love is the only way."
These words correspond with the agenda of the Chicago Sinfonietta's tribute to this great man. Mei-Ann Chen, Music Director and Conductor of this great orchestra, as always demonstrated her great devotion to Dr. King's values and to her profession by choosing and conducting beautiful music that inspired every member of the audience. Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis written by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams started that memorable musical journey. Young musicians from Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, Merit School of Music and The People's Music School contributed to this elegant and fascinating piece.
It was followed by a poem written by E'mon Lauren. This bright young lady holds the most recent title of Chicago's first Youth Poet Laureate by Young Chicago Authors and New York City Urban Word Press. E'mon Lauren puts a lot of effort to challenge the silencing of youth's stories through their diasporas.
The presentation of this young poet was followed by Concerto for Four Violins and Cello, Opus 3, No. 10 by Italian Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi. His delightful music impressed the audience with virtuoso violins, expressive melodies and exquisite harmonies. Vivaldi, who was an outstanding violinist, wrote hundreds of concertos for the violin and just a few for four violin soloists. This work was composed fourteen years before The Four Seasons and was published early in his career, but it still contributed to his international reputation and recognition. Four virtuoso violin soloists were featured during the Chicago Sinfonietta's performance of this piece, including Maria Arrua, Tara Lynn Ramsey, Tomer Marcus and Teddy Wiggins.
The concert continued with Slavonic Dances: Opus 46 No. 2 and Opus 72 No. 7 by popular Czech composer Antonín Dvořák. These pieces are lively, energetic, inspiring and full of national character. They were well received at the time and today are considered to be among the composer's most famous and popular works. Guest Conductor, Kalena Bovell, 2016-2017 Chicago Sinfonietta Assistant Conductor, demonstrated her brilliant conducting skills while directing the orchestra playing Slavonic Dances. Ms. Bovell is the third place winner of the Prestigious American Prize in the college/university conducting division.
This great presentation was followed by Ode to Joy from Symphony No. 9 Opus 125 by the composer of all times and nations who happened to be German, Ludwig von Beethoven. Having many difficulties in life and serious health problems that were reflected in many of his compositions, this great composer late in his life wrote this inspirational and life-asserting piece. This popular and well-known composition presented by the Chicago Sinfonietta featured vocal soloists Kimberly Gunderson (soprano), Louise Rogan (mezzo-soprano), Jared Esguerra (tenor), Nicholas Davis (baritone), and the Roosevelt University Conservatory Choirs and Alumni Chorus directed by Dr. Cheryl Frazes Hill. This triumphant work was a dignified conclusion of the concert and was greeted by the audience with great enthusiasm.
However, the tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was not over yet. It traditionally ended with the song "We Shall Overcome" that serves the civil rights struggles in the United States and that is annually performed at the end of each of Chicago Sinfonietta's concerts devoted to Martin Luther King, Jr. Music Director and Conductor Mei-Ann Chen was telling the audience the words of the song, the orchestra was playing, the choirs and the soloists were singing, the audience was standing, singing and holding hands, and at that moment I, a middle-aged Russian-American woman, started having goosebumps, because I felt included. In spite of my nationality, age and gender, I felt like I was a part of this concert, this great orchestra, this community and this country. That is what all this is about. And that is our common future, full of love, equality and justice - being part of one big nation in the world, which is called Human Nation.
Natalia Dagenhart