MUSIC FOR THE HUMAN SPIRIT Comes to Carnegie Hall Next Month

On Monday, June 5, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) will present Music for the Human Spirit, a two-act performance that begins with DCINY Composer-in-Residence Michael Bussewitz-Quarm's moving composition, Where We Find Ourselves, and a second act featuring music for middle school voices. Conductor/composer Greg Gilpin will lead seven middle school vocal groups from across the United States through several compositions, including three world premieres. The show starts at 7 PM in Stern Auditorium on the Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall.

Where We Find Ourselves takes its name and inspiration from an exhibit of the portraits of Hugh Mangum, a Jim Crow-era photographer from Durham, North Carolina. Historian and writer Shantel Sellers, Anishinaabe-kwe from Michigan, wrote the lyrics for the piece, which contains five movements. Embarking on a musical journey through the lives of the men and women living inside these portraits, we are invited to consider what their lives were like during that time of violent segregation in our nation-not only the terror and confusion, but also the strands of hope and survival that connect us. Where We Find Ourselves will be performed by Purdue University Fort Wayne Choirs (IN), Dr. (William Sauerland, Director), Tennessee State University Meistersingers (TN), (Dr. Angelica Dunsavage, Director) Choral Society of Durham (NC), (Rodney Wynkoop, Director) and more, led by guest Conductor Rodney Wynkoop.

The second act of the performance will be led by the one-and-only conductor/composer Greg Gilpin, featuring music for middle school voices. In this, his 7th performance with DCINY, Gilpin will bring soloist and Indianapolis native Leah Crane to sing gospel arrangements of his original work How Can I keep from Singing as well as Yeish Kochavim (There are Stars) by Jonathan Tunick. Gilpin will lead Distinguished Concerts Singers International (DCSI) vocal groups from Dawn Doherty Academy of Irish Music and Singing (NY), (Dawn Doherty, Director); Gray Middle School Chorus (FL), (Jennifer Kale, Director); Haysville Middle School Concert Choir (KS), (Paul Graves, Director); Highland Hills Middle School (IN), (Reagan Shourds, Director); K.O. Knudson Vocale (NV), (Amy Symes, Director); and McDougle Middle School Choir (NC), (John Benton, Director) for a seven song act including two world premieres.

"The team is so proud to have Michael Bussewitz-Quarm as our DCINY Composer-in-Residence," says DCINY Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Jonathan Griffith, who co-founded the company with General Director Iris Derke. "Where We Find Ourselves is Quarm's first performance as Composer-in-Residence, and it is also the New York premiere of the piece. To have Greg Gilpin joining us as an 7-time alumni performer in the same performance is just thrilling. This is the perfect performance to take us into the summer hiatus," Griffith says.

Music for the Human Spirit is the final DCINY performance before the summer break. The fall lineup of the 2023 concert season will begin in November.