Raven Chacon is no stranger to challenging the conventions of classical music through his work, and his piece, "American Ledger," does so through the score itself.
Rather than the typical musical staff and notes you see on sheet music, the score is depicted through a flag, giving the musicians (and audience) room to interpret what they're seeing in a unique way. This differs from the "stale documents you [typically] see classical musicians reading from."
The flag/score utilizes symbols to tell the story of the land the United States of America sits on, from the beginning of its creation through the timeline of various stewards of the land. Although Chacon focuses on telling the story of indigenous caretakers of the land, "everyone's identity ends up in this piece."
"American Ledger" will be performed on Wednesday, October 26, 7 p.m. at KCAI.
Raven Chacon will be giving a free lecture at JCCC on Thursday, October 27 at 6:30 p.m. and will be working with UMKC composers on Friday, October 28 at 1 p.m. for the UMKC Composers forum.
Hosts
Sascha Groschang
Laurel Parks
Guest
Raven Chacon, composer
Program
Overhead Song
by Raven Chacon
Raven Chacon - electronics
Lats' aadah
by Raven Chacon
Cornelius Dufallo - violin
Weaving
by Connor Chee
Emanuele Arciuli - piano
Navajo Vocable No. 9
by Connor Chee
Emanuele Arciuli - piano
OnekhaÕsh˜n-a, YaÕk˜n-kwe (The Waters, The Women)an
by Dawn Avery
Duo Concertante
Ambe
by Andrew Balfour
Patrick Newcomb with the Woodlands High School Chamber Choir
Vision Chant
by Andrew Balfour
Joel Tranquilla with the Canadian Chamber Choir
Divertimento No. 4 for Piano Quartet
by Juantio Becenti
St. Petersburg Piano Quartet
