First Blacks Chicago
@ Chicago Cultural Center
78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602
Opening Sunday, February 10th, from 2PM - 3:15PM
Hear the ground-breaking world premiere of music honoring the legacies of three black Chicago trailblazers: Chicago’s Haitian founder, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable; Chicago’s first black mayor, Harold Washington; and the first black president, Barack Obama! The program includes the epic world premiere performances of music commissioned by Crossing Borders Music for the event, including the reflective “Nostalgia” by Rudy Perrault, honoring DuSable; the incredible excitement of Gi Frants’ “Fraternitas! Fraternitas! Dei Patris Nomine,” a musical tribute to Washington; and the elegance and beauty of Sabrina C D Jean Louis’ “La Cité,” a tribute to the legacy of DuSable. Hear too Perrault’s “Brother Malcolm” as he imagines, through music, a conversation between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King on the eve of the inauguration of Barack Obama.
In addition to the world premiere performances honoring these towering historical figures, the event will showcase artwork by Chicago-based artists Amanda Sexton and Julio Cesar Montano Montenegro celebrating the three black pioneers, provided by the Haitian American Museum of Chicago-HAMOC.
Serge JC Pierre-Louis of the DuSable Heritage Association will emcee the event.
Performers are Marianne Parker, piano; Caitlin Edwards and Kyle J. Dickson, violins; Jay Pike viola, and Tom Clowes, cello.
This event will take place in Preston Bradley Hall at the Chicago Cultural Center and is free and open to the public.
The event is generously supported by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
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Tags: Caitlin Edwards, Chicago, Chicago Cultural Center, Crossing Borders Music, First Blacks Chicago, Gi Frants, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Jay Pike, Kyle J Dickson, Loop, Marianne Parker, Preston Bradley Hall, Rudy Perrault, Sabrina CD Jean Louis, Serge JC Pierre-Louis, Tom Clowes
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