Members of the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra and Chorus will lift their voices to celebrate the diverse communities that make up the city of Boston at the Every Voice concert for peace and justice. Presented in partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry and Union United Methodist Church, the free performances will take place at the First Church in Roxbury at 3pm on Saturday, November 2 and at the Union United Methodist Church in the South End at 3pm on Sunday, November 3.
“Music has always had the ability to shine a light on the issues of our times, allowing us to celebrate the positives and reflect on the challenges,” said David Snead, President and CEO of the Handel and Haydn Society. “We are thrilled to partner with theUnitarian Universalist Urban Ministry and Union United Methodist Church, to celebrate the voices of the Jewish and Black communities of Boston, in a moving and joyous performance designed to showcase the healing and unifying power of music.”
Every Voice will feature works created by Black and Jewish musicians, including compositions by Harry T Burleigh, an African American composer, arranger, and baritone soloist; Joseph Bolougne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a champion fencer, classical composer, virtuoso violinist, and conductor of the leading symphony orchestra in Paris who was the son of a wealthy married planter and an African slave; Abraham Caceres, a Portuguese-Dutch Jewish composer of the late Baroque period; Giacobbe Cervetto, and Anglo-Italian Baroque musician of Jewish descent and his son, James Cervetto; Bobby McFerrin, a Grammy Award-winning American jazz vocalist and composer; Allan Naplan, composer and executive director of the Arizona MusicFest;Zanaida Robles, conductor, composer, educator, vocalist, and fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion in music education and performance; Salamone Rossi, an Italian/Jewish composer of the late Renaissance/early Baroque period; Ignatius Sancho, a British composer of African descent; and Jonathan Woody, whose new work Nigra Sum Sed Formosa had its world premiere by the Handel and Haydn Society with Castle of Our Skins in April 2019.
“Framed by so many forms of scrutiny and persecution, the Jewish community and the Black community live actively in the public consciousness for the senseless painful and violent actions that are visited upon them daily,” said Reginald Mobley, countertenor and director of Every Voice. “Music is a force that communicates and reinforces the will of a people, reminding everyone of the resilience, and brilliance of these communities reflected through music from as early as the 17th century to modern times. Every Voice will remind us all to keep this culture and beauty present as a part of the current narrative, as much as the pain experienced by these communities.”
Performers on Every Voice will include Cassandra Extavour, soprano; Elise Groves, soprano; Cody Bowers, countertenor; Julia Cavallaro, alto; Reginald Mobley, countertenor; Jonas Budris, tenor; Nathan Salazar, tenor; Ian Pomerantz, baritone; Dana Whiteside, bass; as well as members of the H+H Orchestra and the H+H Youth Choruses Concert Choir.
Every Voice is free and open to the public. Reservations are recommended and can be made at handelandhaydn.org.