Please join the World House Choir and the Central State University Chorus for a collaborative choral concert entitled “To Sit and Dream.”
- Sunday April 2, 7:30pm at the Paul Robeson Cultural and Performing Arts Center at Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio and;
- Monday April 3, 7:30pm at the Foundry Theater, Antioch College, Yellow Springs.
Langston Hughes 1902-1967
Last year a small group of local performing artists gathered to discuss how they might celebrate the life of Langston Hughes on the 50th anniversary of his death (1902-1967). Our of these meetings came a series of programs and concerts that became Relevance and Resonance: A Langston Hughes Retrospective.
Our director, Catherine Roma was reminded of Hughes’ poetry when she reread his well known poem, Let America Be America Again. She wondered what that meant, just as she wondered what “Make America Great Again” might mean. She was already familiar with some Hughes’ text settings to music, since many great choral composers have set Langston Hughes’ poetry to music, and she wanted to introduce singers and audiences to this rich repertoire.
Jeremy Winston, conductor of Central State University’s nationally recognized choir, and Cathy sat down together to chose choral works they wanted to perform. The World House Choir and Central State University Chorus will each perform short sets and introduce choral works with Langston Hughes texts by composers Rosephanye Powell, Margaret Bonds, Dave Brubeck, Roland Carter and others. The two choirs will also sing together on two pieces.
Lyric baritone Charles Williams, who hails from DC, will perform Let American Be America Again, accompanied on piano by Barbara Leeds, a poetic narration to music, originally written for orchestra by Gwyneth Walker. Central State graduate Christopher G. Smith, tenor, will also sing on the program.
Please join us. Admission is free, donations are welcome.