MUSIC OF EMPOWERMENT:
Featuring the American Premiere of
Elfrida Andrée’s Suffrage Cantata
Dr. Laney Armstrong and Dr. Jonathan Spatola Knoll, directors
Featuring the American Premiere of
Elfrida Andrée’s Suffrage Cantata
Dr. Laney Armstrong and Dr. Jonathan Spatola Knoll, directors
Program Note:
In the second half of this evening’s program, we are excited to share with you the Western-Hemisphere Premiere of Elfrida Andrée’s Suffrage Cantata, a work for treble voices and orchestra, performed from a new edition by Dr. Jonathan Spatola-Knoll. To accompany this premiere, the program's first half consists of music by women composers from across time, joining in the themes of empowerment and joy expressed in Andrée’s work. We begin with an arrangement of a chant by the medieval mystic and nun Hildegaard von Bingen and transition to an aleatoric work by a young composer, Katerina Gimon. “Ripple” contains improvisations that accompany a text empowering the singers to send a ripple of positivity into the world, like “a ripple on quiet water.”
Included in this set is “Wanting Memories,” a work originated by Sweet Honey in the Rock. It speaks of Barnwell’s grandmother’s impact on her life, and how she takes those lessons into a life without her presence. The concluding movement of another cantata, written in 2016, tells the stories of Dreamers, children brought to the United States as young children. Melissa Dunphy simply and beautifully sets the words of one of these Dreamers, reminding us both to find our “home away from home” and to “resist!” We end this set with a setting of the Joni Mitchell classic “Big Yellow Taxi,” which reminds us to seize the day, the moment, and appreciate the world around us.
Come learn about pleasure based sex-education in trauma informed classrooms, and celebrate related work which is being done locally in the community! This event is the culmination of thesis work by Gender Studies major Stella Coomes '25, and will feature a short talk, a panel of local professionals, a Q&A session, a mock sex education lesson, and more! Community support and knowledge in this discipline is more important now than ever, and this event seeks to expand access to knowledge and resources and create a community-centered space.
Dr. Katie Wagner ('04), of the University of Wyoming, will present the 2024-25 Rempel Lecture in Biology, featuring her research on how species evolve, adapt, and interact with each other.
In a world often clouded by stories of war and oppression, Fatimah Hossaini, an artist and photographer sheds light on the remarkable resilience, strength, and beauty of women of Afghanistan that has always been overlooked under the news of conflict. Through her evocative photographic collection "The Beauty Amidst the Shadows of War," Fatimah captures the untold stories of Afghan women from diverse ethnicities and regions, celebrating their individuality, cultural heritage, and unyielding spirit. Drawing on her personal experiences and artistic journey, she explores how art can reclaim hope, foster unity, and challenge deeply ingrained stereotypes.
Presented by Kihana Wilson
Astrophysicist and science communicator Kihana Wilson will share her journey navigating STEM as a Black queer woman and the importance of “unapologetic representation” in building a more equitable and innovative scientific future. (Organized by Geology and Environmental Scientists of Color Club)
Whitman College Department of Music Presents:
Piano Area Spring Concert
Featuring students of Dr. Rodolfo Faistauer, Carissa Cox and Eleanor Elkins
Whitman College Department of Music
Pickett Performing Scholar Series:
Nordic Nightingales: Laura Loge, soprano
Featuring Laura Loge performing songs by Swedish and Norwegian women, in collaboration with Dr. Jonathan Spatola-Knoll, piano and Dr. Amy Dodds, violin. The program will include underperformed music by 12 women, including Elfrida Andrée, Laura Netzel, and Agathe Backer Grøndahl.
The Whitman Music Department is excited to present the next installment of our Pickett Performing Scholar Series. Established by Michael and Eva Murr and the Johnston-Fix Foundation in honor of Susan Pickett, Catharine Chism Professor of Music, Emerita, the concert/lecture series aims to combine performance and scholarship to highlight the work of historically underrepresented musicians.
Whitman College Department of Music Presents:
Whitman Jazz Ensembles Spring Concert
Performing songs by Miles Davis, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Eric Richards, BADBADNOTGOOD and more!
Jazz Ensemble 1 – Doug Scarborough, director
Jazz Ensemble 2 – Susumu Watanabe, director