Interview: Raven McMillon of OUR SONG, OUR STORY – THE NEW GENERATION OF BLACK VOICES at Ordway Concert Hall

"Created and directed by composer, conductor, and multi-genre musician Damien Sneed, Our Song, Our Story is an evening of music highlighting some of the world's most well-known operatic arias, art songs and spirituals. The concert brings together two of today's most exciting operatic voices in a diverse and powerful event featuring Raven McMillon and Raehann Bryce-Davis, and accompanied by Damien Sneed on piano and the Griot String Quartet; Amyr Joyner on violin, Messiah Ahmed on violin, Edward W. Hardy (The Woodsman) on viola, and Thapelo Masita on cello. This will be an evening of memorable and beautiful music as they pay homage to Marian Anderson and Jessye Norman, who have paved the way for them and other African American opera singers, as well as George Frideric Handel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and more.

Copresented by the Arts Partnership (The Ordway, Minnesota Opera, Schubert Club and the SPCO)."

We chat with Raven McMillon about this concert.

Do you have a favorite piece you're singing in your concert?

My favorite piece is "'Til I Wake" by H.T. Burleigh. It is such a beautiful piece and it shows Burleigh's genius as a composer, even though many people know him as a spiritual arranger.

What does it mean to you to take part in this concert?

I think that the concert is a great selection of styles and genres and it has been so fun to collaborate with all of the other musicians on this tour.

What do you hope the audience takes away from your performance?

I hope that the audience will leave with an appreciation for music that they may not have heard before.

Thank you Raven for your time! We look forward to the concert!

For more ticket and show information, please click the ticket link button below.

Photo courtesy of Raven McMillon

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