Hear Grammy Award-Winning Artist Perform Live at Holy Cross

Emma Kuper '18

Emma Kuper ’18

Fall is a busy time for us all, between getting used to new clubs and extra-curriculars, studying for midterms and other assignments, not to mention all of the social events like Parents Weekend, Halloween, and Thanksgiving activities! It may seem overwhelming to be sifting through the countless invitations that are sent out to the student body every day, trying to decide which events align with our interests and will be worth our time.

I’m writing this today to let everyone know about an event that you truly will not want to miss. I know we hear that all the time, but it is not all the time that a musical group whose album received a Grammy award performs for free right on campus. This performance is in conjunction with the “Katrina Then and Now: Artists as a Witness” exhibit that is on display right now at the Cantor Art Gallery.  If you haven’t visited yet, I would highly recommend checking it out; it is a very insightful way of exploring the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

With or without the visit to the gallery, however, this musical performance offers great insight into the same theme of Hurricane Katrina. On Sunday, November 8, at 3 PM in Brooks Concert Hall, and accompanied by a chamber orchestra, the Terence Blanchard Quintet will perform “A Tale of God’s Will: A Requiem for Katrina.” This composition was written by Blanchard and the other members of his quintet as a look back upon the tragedy in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Trumpet,  piano, bass, drums, and strings combine to echo the sounds of the forces of the storm. Other sections of the composition allude to hurricanes that came before Katrina, while others offer a hopeful glimpse into the future. Finally the piece concludes with a tribute to Blanchard’s mother, who lost her home in this tragedy. The composition received a Grammy in 2008, and the album was on the billboard for top jazz albums, reaching #6.

Not only is this concert a wonderful opportunity to simply experience the sheer musical talent of these performers, the message that they bring is also important to all of us. Especially as students who were probably too young in 2005 to remember Hurricane Katrina very clearly and to understand it fully, this concert offers a chance to feel the emotions and empathize with the people and culture that were devastated by this storm.

Stay posted for more news, and on behalf of the Arts Transcending Borders team, we can’t wait to see you at the concert! – Emma Kuper ’18

Learn more about the upcoming events on campus through Arts Transcending Borders:

http://www.holycross.edu/departments-and-programs/arts-transcending-borders-atb

http://www.holycross.edu/iris-and-b-gerald-cantor-art-gallery/exhibitions/current-exhibition

 

 

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