The Chicago Sinfonietta MLK Tribute Review – Celebrating a Legacy of Inspiration

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For years, the Chicago Sinfonietta has pushed artistic boundaries to present an updated look at classical music.  The Sinfonietta has done this by being committed to diversity and inclusion, much of that is inspired by the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.  The Chicago Sinfonietta’s late founder, Paul Freeman, had a brief encounter with Martin Luther King Jr. that inspired Freeman so much, he created the Sinfonietta with the mission of advancing the accessibility of orchestral music beyond the elite members of society.  So, it only makes sense that the Sinfonietta puts on a spectacular tribute show for Martin Luther King Day.

 

The program was chosen
with music inspired by
Martin Luther King Jr.

The tribute show was put together with music that parallels Dr. King’s life.  Each piece presented dealt with injustice, courage, perseverance and inspiration – all things that MLK stood for.  The first song predates Martin Luther King Jr. as it was composed by Beethoven; but the meaning of the piece fits in perfectly with King’s message.  Beethoven’s Egmont Overture is about a hero during the Napoleonic Wars who was condemned to death for taking a stand against oppression.  Guest Conductor Kellen Gray led the Sinfonietta in this classic work which set the tone for the rest of the night.

 


Guest conductor, Kellen Gray,
along with Kendrick
Armstrong, are inspirational
stories themselves

 

The guest conductors for the night, Mr. Gray along with Kendrick Armstrong, are inspirational stories themselves.  Both were involved in fellowships started by the Chicago Sinfonietta to promote professional development of diverse musicians.  Thanks in part to these programs, both are now flourishing as conductors; Gray was recently appointed as the Assistant Conductor of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and Armstrong is the Musical Director for the Wheaton College Opera Program.  For this night, Armstrong and Gray took turns leading the Sinfonietta and the audience delighted in their talents.

Wayne Kenneth Woods
brought Martin Luther
King’s words to life

Wayne Kenneth Woods served as the orator for the night in which he performed selections of MLK’s speeches as a commentary on each of the musical works.  He recited portions from some of King’s most famous speeches, all of which are still relevant today.  His powerful narration brought to life King’s words in a very meaningful way. 

Later, he joined the Sinfoniettas for Trevor Weston’s The People Could Fly, in which Woods told an African American folktale in which slaves magically learning to fly to escape the brutality of slavery, with the Sinfonietta providing the music behind him.  For this work, violinist Kyle Dickson joined to become almost a second narrator with his violin.  The piece presented hope in the midst of darkness and was probably the best of the night.

For the second act, the youthful Waubonsie Valley Choir joined their voices with the Chicago Sinfonietta.  The choir’s world and gospel music mixed perfectly with the orchestra especially during the Five Negro Spirituals from “A Child of our Time.”  Despite their youth, the choir provided beautiful vocal sound on par with choirs with much more experience.  The choir’s diversity and their voices carried a strong message of peace, understanding and unity.  It was a wonderful part of the night.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Show ended with a Civil Rights Anthem:  We Shall Overcome.  The audience got on their feet, held hands and joined in with The Chicago Sinfonietta in singing this inspiring song.  The song is a reminder that Dr. King’s vision is not realized yet, but with the help of everyone in the audience we can continue to work to get there.  

To learn more about the Chicago Sinfonietta and the great work they do, please visit their website

Photos provided by The Chicago Sinfonietta.

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