Connections Chamber Music Series: Women Composers

NEC: Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre | Directions

255 St. Botolph St.
Boston, MA
United States

Tonight is the second concert of Connections, NEC's new chamber music series bringing together on stage faculty and students from both the College and the Preparatory School. Each program focuses on a theme, with the aim of illuminating the connections between different works of music. The women composers featured this evening include Clara Schumann, Allison Loggins-Hull, Margaret Bonds, Rebecca Clarke, Elisabeth Lutyens, and Grażyna Bacewicz.

Max Levinson directs the series.

This performance is open to in-person audiences only.

  1. Clara Schumann | Three Romances for Violin and Piano, op. 22

    Andante molto
    Allegretto: Mit zartem Vortrage
    Leidenschaftlich schnell

     

    Artists

  2. Allison Loggins-Hull | Stolen, for solo cello (2016)

    Artists

  3. Margaret Bonds | Three Dream Portraits

    Minstrel Man
    Dream Variations
    I, Too

     

    Text

    Minstrel Man

    Because my mouth
    Is wide with laughter
    And my throat
    Is deep with song,
    You do not think
    I suffer after
    I have held my pain
    So long?

    Because my mouth
    Is wide with laughter,
    You do not hear
    My inner cry?
    Because my feet
    Are gay with dancing,
    You do not know
    I die?


    Dream Variations

    To fling my arms wide
    In some place of the sun,
    To whirl and to dance
    Till the white day is done.
    Then rest at cool evening
    Beneath a tall tree
    While night comes on gently,
    Dark like me-
    That is my dream!


    To fling my arms wide
    In the face of the sun,
    Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
    Till the quick day is done.
    Rest at pale evening…
    A tall, slim tree…
    Night coming tenderly
    Black like me.

    I, Too

    I, too, sing America.

    I am the darker brother.
    They send me to eat in the kitchen
    When company comes,
    But I laugh,
    And eat well,
    And grow strong.

    Tomorrow,
    I’ll be at the table
    When company comes.
    Nobody’ll dare
    Say to me,
    “Eat in the kitchen,”
    Then.

    Besides,
    They’ll see how beautiful I am
    And be ashamed–
    I, too, am America.

    Langston Hughes

     

     

    Artists

  4. Rebecca Clarke | Morpheus, for viola and piano (1917)

    Artists

  5. Joan Tower | Wild Purple for solo viola

    Artists
    • Lisa Sung, viola

  6. Tania León | Anima (2020)

    Artists
    • Isabelle Ai Durrenberger, violin

  7. Joan Tower | Très Lent: Hommage à Messiaen (1994)

    Artists

  8. Jennifer Higdon | Pale Yellow for Piano Trio (2003)

    Artists
    • Grant Houston, violin
    • Yi-Mei Templeman, cello
    • Andrew Barnwell, piano
Tags
CollegeChamber Music