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Montgomery and the Blacknificent 7
Dec 3, 2023 — 4:30 PM
Overview
Curated by Mead Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery.
Please note that this program includes content intended for mature audiences.
Listen now to the Preconcert discussion featuring members of the Blacknificent 7.
Composers
Program
Thompson
In Response to the Madness
Okpebholo
CryptOlogiE
Ragland
Eight Tones for Elijah
Ragland
I Believe
Barnes
The United States Welcomes You [World Premiere, CSO MusicNOW Commission]
Geter
Annunciation
Performers
Jessie Montgomery
Violin
Extras
Enhance your concert experience with these additional events.
No additional ticket required.
Preconcert Panel at 3 p.m. in Grainger Ballroom
Discover more about “The Modern Artist Collective” featuring members of the Blacknificent 7 in a preconcert panel. LaRob K. Rafael, artistic director of Hearing in Color and WFMT host and producer, hosts a discussion with members of the Blacknificent 7.
Listen now to the discussion featuring members of the Blacknificent 7.
Presented by Chicago Humanities in collaboration with the CSOA.
Afterparty in the Rotunda
Hosted by the CSO African American Network, enjoy a casual afterparty and meet-and-greet with the artists and discover new ways to immerse yourself in the imaginative musical worlds of today's most innovative composers.
Sponsors & Partners
Preconcert Event Partner
Pizza for CSO MusicNOW is generously provided by Jet’s Pizza.
Major support for MusicNOW is generously provided by the Zell Family Foundation, Sargent Family Foundation, Sally Mead Hands Foundation and the Julian Family Foundation.
Like many of the best inventions, the Blacknificent 7 was born of necessity. And serendipity. “I think our collective is a signifier of things to come,” says Jessie Montgomery, the group's leader and CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence.
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"History is always relevant because we’re always creating it," says composer-soprano Jasmine Barnes. "This influences my compositions, because I’m aware of how history has been erased, revised and rerouted. I feel it’s my personal responsibility to tell it, and art is the best space to do that. My goal is to always tell a story of purpose."
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CSO MusicNOW, the orchestra’s contemporary music series, returns in the 2023-24 Season with two curated ensemble programs and two concerts with the full Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
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