Polyaspora Festival

Description

With the support of a generous grant from the Nexus Awards, Dr. Felipe Lara, Pulitzer Prize Finalist for 2024 and Associate Professor and Chair of Composition at The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, will lead Polyaspora, a five-day contemporary music festival, at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C. in fall 2024. Hosted by the Peabody Institute and curated by Professor Lara and George Lewis of Columbia University, Polyaspora centers Black and Brazilian perspectives in contemporary music alongside a showcase of new musical works by Peabody Conservatory students. The globally renowned and New York City-based International Contemporary Ensemble will serve as guest performers and educators for the festival. The festival includes three concerts with pre-concert talks at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center's state-of-the-art Theatre, and one concert on the Peabody Institute's Baltimore campus. All four concerts will be free and open to the public. Additional workshops and open rehearsals at Peabody will be open to JHU and Peabody students to attend and participate in.

PROGRAMS INCLUDE:

COMPOSING WHILE BLACK – Afrodiasporic New Music Today

In tandem with the publication of the bilingual English/German edited volume bearing the same name, edited by Harald Kisiedu and George E. Lewis, this program presents sonically audacious new music by Nicole Mitchell, Jeffrey Mumford, Andile Khumalo, Leila Adu-Gilmore, Jalalu-Kalvert Nelson, and Tebogo Monnakgotla.

ANTROPOFAGIA – Brazilian Perspectives

This program features today's leading musical voices of the Brazilian diaspora and explores the complexities and intersections of identity, race, history and cultural ethos from within a Brazilian framing. Includes works by Felipe Lara, Jocy de Oliveira, Igor Santos, Marcos Balter, Arthur Kampela, and Michelle Agnes. Pre-Concert Talk with Dr. Alejandro L. Madrid from Harvard University.

THE FUTURE IS NOW I & II

Each of these programs features seven newly composed premieres by Peabody Conservatory students, scored for solo instruments and chamber ensembles.

Additional activities include two workshops on open scores led by ICE members and open rehearsals for Peabody students.

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE:

Monday, September 23, 2024 at Peabody

Open Rehearsals

Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at Peabody

Open Score Workshop with Students
Open Rehearsals
5:30PM – Concert: The Future is Now I (Solo Works)

Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center

7PM – Concert: The Future Is Now II (Ensemble Works)

Thursday, September 26, 2024 at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center

7PM – Concert: Composing While Black
6PM – Pre-concert talk with Leila Adu-Gilmore

Friday, September 27, 2024 at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center

7PM – Concert: Antropofagia
6PM – Pre-concert talk with Dr. Alejandro L. Madrid and Felipe Lara