Harpist Charles Overton returns to Celebrity Series alongside violinist Lucia Lin for a timely world premiere and the latest installment of Lin's "In Tandem" commissioning and performance project that aims to break down color barriers in classical music and create opportunities for young fans and young musicians to encounter contemporary music that speaks to them.
Lin, a Boston Symphony Orchestra musician and Professor of Music at Boston University, in partnership with ten composers at California’s Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy, has created a series of new duo works that speak to critical social issues, among them racism, elitism, and other barriers that obstruct people of color from full participation in classical music. These performances feature the local premiere of Hawai'i-based composer and educator Michael-Thomas Foumai's "Printing Kapa," created for the "In Tandem" project and inspired by the traditional multi-purpose bark cloth printed with intricate geometric designs made by artisans across the Pacific Island cultures. Foumai has written many works for large and small ensembles that depict the rich history, the diverse cultures, and the threatened flora, fauna, and ways of life of the Hawaiian islands.
Overton and Lin will also present the world premiere performance of Foumai's "Defending Kalo," in which the composer considers the traditional and sustainable practice of kalo (taro) cultivation on the island of Hawai'i, and the ways that this staple crop and its growers are under siege from tourism, climate change, and the whims of property owners. This piece was commissioned by the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music for their "Composing Earth" initiative supporting the creation of musical works that engage with climate change.
Overton and Lin will also perform Saint-Saëns' "Fantasie" and selections from Ástor Piazzolla's "Histoire du Tango."
This concert will also be available to watch as a free streaming performance premiering on YouTube on November 17, 2022 at 4pm.
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