Chicago Sinfonietta announces new date, details and new content leading up to annual MLK Tribute Concert

Chicago, IL - In a season where a worldwide pandemic has forced isolation upon communities everywhere and cancelled most artistic offerings, Chicago Sinfonietta continues to utilize its rich cultural capital and the universal voice of music as a strong connecting thread, creating innovative ways to engage and inspire throughout its 33rd season, "Stories of the People." Due to pandemic regulations, the Sinfonietta’s originally planned January 2020 MLK Tribute Concert has been moved to March 2020 for the safety and well-being of all involved.Instead of just moving the concert, Chicago Sinfonietta has taken advantage of the new date to incorporate more content into this popular annual celebratory event. In addition to being a virtual premiere, there will now be additional events leading up to the concert that will now take place on March 28, 2020 near the 55^th anniversary of King’s 1965 Selma March.

In announcing the new date, Sinfonietta Chief Executive Officer Blake-Anthony Johnson stated, “COVID-19 regulations by the Mayor of Chicago for the safety of all have necessitated a change of date in our annual MLK Tribute Concert. Those looking forward to the concert will not need to wait three months to celebrate with us though. We are pleased to announce that Chicago Sinfonietta will now offer 3 months of video content and activities leading up to the concert, beginning in January 2021. These events provide an opportunity for us to delve more deeply into the inspirational words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and honor a man who was instrumental in this country’s stride towards Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. We will be announcing these events beginning in early January, and details will also be available on our website.”

Added Music Director Mei-Ann Chen, “Our theme this season is "Stories of the People, highlighting that which connects us, including community, tradition and respect,and how these connections are presented through the universal language of music. We have re-titled this concert ‘The Arc’ as the selected works celebrate the advancement that is being made in the march for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Chicago Sinfonietta has been a part of this arc since its founding by Maestro Paul Freeman, an arc that has its roots in Dr. King’s inspirational and galvanizing work. We invite you to join us as we celebrate the arc of Dr. King’s legacy, championing the people, and the freedom for all to vote.”

In celebrating Dr. King, the Sinfonietta has selected three enthralling works by a trio of African American composers: Florence Price, Joel Thompson, and Jeff Scott. William Grant Still’s orchestral arrangement of Florence Price’s piano work, Dances in the Canebrakes, now a Chicago Sinfonietta signature, highlights the talent of composers of color from yesteryear and kicks of the celebration with an joyful note. The Sinfonietta’s second commission by a composer of color for the 2020-21 season follows. Written by composer Joel Thompson, it is titled breath/burn: an elegy. Thompson describes the work as "an exploration of the liminal space between grief and rage in response to the tragedies afflicting the Black community in 2020" and it is performed with the extremely talented Chicago cellist Ifetayo Ali-Landing in the role of soloist. Jeff Scott’s work, Sinfonietta of Dreams, reinforces the positive inspiration of Dr. King’s work and is based on his famous “I Have A Dream" speech given in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on November 27, 1962. The Sinfonietta closes the online concert with a Chicago Sinfonietta tradition: We Shall Overcome, performed in unison from homes across the country in a spirit of hope and resilience.

Chicago Sinfonietta
Sunday, March 28, 2021
3:00 PM CDT online event
"The Arc" annual MLK Tribute Concert

FLORENCE PRICE Dances in the Canebrakes
I. Nimble Feet
II. Tropical Noon
III. Silk Hat and Walking Cane

JOEL THOMPSON breathe/burn: an elegy (World Premiere, Chicago Sinfonietta Commission*)

JEFF SCOTT Sinfonietta of Dreams
II. Prayer
I. Hope

Adapted by Hamilton, Horton, and Seeger (arr. Roy Ringwald)
We Shall Overcome

Mei-Ann Chen, conductor
Antoine T. Clark, guest conductor
Joel Thompson, composer
Ifetayo Ali-Landing, cello

* breathe/burn: an elegy for solo violoncello and orchestra is a commissioned work by Chicago Sinfonietta and New Haven Symphony Orchestra. The world premiere is conducted by Antoine T. Clark, Chicago Sinfonietta's 2020-21 season Assistant Conductor.

TICKETS
Chicago Sinfonietta Membership, a new flexible subscription program, is on sale.

Call the Box Office at (312) 284-1554, email boxoffice@chicagosinfonietta.org, or order online at www.chicagosinfonietta.org/membership.

Choose any number of virtual concerts to attend, and tune in for exclusive video content throughout the season. Chicago Sinfonietta proudly presents through its membership various offering ranging from interactive events to online classes taught by guest artists.

Prices
Pick One: $45
Pick Two: $65
Pick Three: $85

Tickets orders may be placed by phone or online. One week prior to the virtual concert premiere date, patrons will receive a customized access link via email. Each concert will be made available for a 24-hour period.

 ABOUT THE GUEST ARTISTS

American conductor Antoine Clark is Chicago Sinfonietta’s 2020-21 Assistant Conductor. More about this conductor can be found here. For more on composer Joel Thompson, click here. Learn more about Chicago cellist Ifetayo Ali-Landing here.

Press Contact: Laura Grant, Grant Communications 917.359.7319 Laura@grant-communications.com