The Dream Unfinished

Florence Price:  Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight

William Grant Still:  Plain-Chant for America 

Plus works by Margaret Bonds, Irving Berlin, Randall Thompson, André Thomas, and Dorothy Rudd Moore.
Philip Lima, baritone
Valerie Becker, piano

ABOUT THE CONCERT

Reference to “the dream unfinished” is a poignant reminder that we don't yet all share the same opportunities, freedoms, and liberties that are the foundations on which our country was built. Told through the voices of a diverse selection of composers, the music for this concert celebrates the ideals of the American Dream, and explores racial injustice, hope, human resilience, and the possibility of realizing a world where people are not enslaved and where people of all backgrounds can coexist harmoniously. 

Florence Price’s Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight  depicts Abraham Lincoln's restless spirit walking at midnight and mourning the struggles of his nation. The setting used for this concert was first created by our Artistic Director, Dr. Michael Driscoll. 

Incorporating a rich mix of influences, including classical, jazz, and African American spirituals, William Grant Still’s Plain Chant for America both celebrates what we aspire to be and reminds  us of what is yet to be accomplished.

Other works on this program, often using settings of Langdon Hughes’ poetry , explore the same themes through Margaret Bonds’ The Negro Speaks of Rivers and I, Too; Randall Thompson‘s Testament of Freedom; Florence Price’s Song to the Dark Virgin and My Dream; Irving Berlin’s Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor; André Thomas’ I Dream a World; and Dorothy Rudd Moore's Fourth of July Speech.

       Featured Artists

Philip Lima

baritone
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Valerie Becker

piano