THE WASHINGTON CHORUS STEPS INTO SUMMER WITH RESILIENCE

A creative digital choral experience exploring the power and beauty of getting through, getting by, and getting to another day

Washington D.C. – The Washington Chorus (TWC) announces a creative digital choral experience to honor the strength and resilience of musicians, artists, creators, and audiences who continued to come together during the pandemic to share powerful artistic experiences and vibrant stories. Resilience, is a digital, cross disciplinary concert using choral music, filmmaking, and poetry to explore the power of music and the human spirit.  It premieres at 8pm ET on Friday, June 11, 2021 and is available on-demand through Wednesday, June 30, 2021 at 11:59pm ET. Tickets are $15 and available here.

Featuring over 100 members of The Washington Chorus under the direction of Artistic Director Dr. Eugene Rogers, Resilience was recorded mostly from home, with some in person while following strict COVID safety protocols.  Anticipated to be their final virtual offering, it’s created in collaboration with visual artist Camilla Tassi and features poet Samiya Bashir, narrator Shannon Finney, violinist Akemi Takayama, tenor LaVonte Heard, and EXIGENCE Vocal Ensemble. Program highlights include the world premiere excerpt from TWC’s commissioned work Here’s The Thing by composer Julian Wachner and poet Samiya Bashir. Other performances include Ralph Vaughan Williams' sublime Serenade to Music and a stirring setting of Rollo Dilworth's Freedom's Plow featuring Dr. Dilworth on piano.

" From Covid-19, to issues of racism, to the loss of so many artistic endeavors and beyond, it was nothing but the willpower of humanity and our deep love for music and community that has kept us going” says Dr. Eugene Rogers, TWC Artistic Director. “This concert is a reminder of that power and strength as we continue the journey.”

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RESILIENCE

A new digital choral music experience

Premiere digital performance: Friday, June 11, 2021, 8 pm Eastern

On-demand thereafter through 11:59 pm on June 30, 2021

Tickets: $15

Featuring:

The Washington Chorus / Eugene Rogers, Artistic Director

Akemi Takayama, violin

LaVonte Heard, tenor

Shannon Finney, narrator

EXIGENCE Vocal Ensemble / Eugene Rogers, Artistic Director

Music by Julian Wachner (with poetry by Samiya Bashir), Rollo Dilworth, and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Created in collaboration with filmmaker/digital artist Camilla Tassi

Program:

Excerpt from Here’s the Thing (music by Julian Wachner, poetry by Samiya Bashir)* world premiere excerpt

Serenade to Music (music by Ralph Vaughan Williams, poetry adapted from William Shakespeare)

Freedom’s Plow (music by Rollo Dilworth, poetry by Langston Hughes)

About The Washington Chorus (TWC)

A three-time nominated and two-time Grammy Award winner, the 160-voice Washington Chorus presents an annual subscription series at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, regularly performs at the invitation of the National Symphony Orchestra, and appears annually at the Music Center at Strathmore in Maryland and Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Virginia.

TWC was the first major Washington area chorus to be founded independent of a church or college. In 1961 Hugh Hayward, a medical doctor and classically trained musician, founded the Oratorio Society of Montgomery County, which became known as the Oratorio Society of Washington, and is now celebrated under the name of The Washington Chorus. In 1971, Robert Shafer succeeded Hayward as music director, leading the chorus for more than three decades with great distinction, including two Grammy Awards. From 2008–2017 Julian Wachner led the organization with education and innovation at the forefront of his programs. Christopher Bell brought unparalleled attention to precision and clarity to the ensemble with his trademark flair during his tenure as Artistic Director from 2017 to 2020. The Chorus' fifth Artistic Director Eugene Rogers is widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed next-generation conductors and musical thought leaders today working at the intersection of classical music and social change. For further information please visit www.thewashingtonchorus.com