Vocal Works Celebrating African Queens: A Dazzling Collaboration of Music and Storytelling
Touring in recital in the 25/26 season, this brilliantly curated program, featuring music by both African and American composers, vividly represents vocal works of the past and present. Each song reflects the beauty, humility, passion, and power of the Queens being celebrated. In addition the recital program, African Queens is being developed as a 20-25 minute song suite for orchestra with a co-commission opportunity.
Karen Slack has performed the African Queens recital program at the Ravinia Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival and School, Denver Friends of Chamber Music, Washington Performing Arts, and The 92nd Street Y, New York. Karen Slack brings African Queens performances this summer at Newport Classical and the Tanglewood Music Festival.
The evening centers eight new songs written for Karen by some of today’s most acclaimed composers- Jasmine Barnes, Damien Geter, Jessie Montgomery, Shawn Okpebholo, Dave Ragland, Carlos Simon, and Joel Thompson with text by Lorene Cary, Alicia Haymer, Tsitsi Ella Jaji, Deborah D.E.E.P Mouton and Creative Collaborator for the African Queens project Jay Saint Flono.
Each new, approximately 6-8 minute vocal work will focus on a different queen, and the connective tissue between each story and song will be woven together through interspersed narrative text.
Karen Slack performing Joel Thompson's Queen Nanny's Lullabye at Music Academy of the West.