Topic - African Diaspora (488)

Detroit PBS to broadcast Interlochen Arts Academy’s world-premiere production of ‘Edmonia’ (News Articles 626407)

melissa.birdsey — Fri, 10 May 2024 14:26:10 +0000

Detroit PBS to broadcast Interlochen Arts Academy’s world-premiere production of ‘Edmonia’ (News Articles 626407) melissa.birdsey Fri, 05/10/2024 - 10:26 Detroit PBS to broadcast Interlochen Arts Academy’s world-premiere production of ‘Edmonia’Dr. Bill Banfield’s groundbreaking hybrid opera will air on Detroit PBS on Monday, June 17 at 10 p.m. ET.

Sydney James Harcourt (left) and Amber Cierra Merritt (right) in Interlochen Arts Academy’s production of 'Edmonia.'

May 10, 2024

Interlochen Arts Academy’s world-premiere production of Dr. Bill Banfield’s groundbreaking hybrid opera, Edmonia, will be broadcast on Detroit PBS on Monday, June 17 at 10 p.m. ET.

Originally commissioned in 2000 by Pulitzer- and Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, Edmonia tells the incredible true story of 19th century Black and indigenous sculptor Edmonia Lewis (1844-1907). The two-act opera chronicles Lewis’s remarkable life from her turbulent time at Oberlin College to her recognition as an internationally celebrated artist, posthumous erasure, and dramatic rediscovery in the 1970s.

One of the largest productions ever staged at Interlochen Arts Academy, Edmonia united more than 60 student, staff, and guest performers—including emerging opera artist Amber Cierra Merritt, Broadway star Sydney James Harcourt (AS 94, 97, IAA 94-97), and students from all seven of the Academy’s artistic disciplines. Arts Academy Instructor of Voice & Opera Laura Osgood-Brown and Director of Musical Theatre Justin Lee Miller co-directed the performance. Conductor and Berklee College of Music professor Julius Williams conducted Banfield’s genre-defying original score. The opera also featured dozens of meticulously crafted period costumes, a high-tech rotating stage design, multimedia projections, and more.

Learn more about the making of Edmonia via Interlochen Public Radio

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Detroit PBS once more to share the powerful tale of a long-forgotten artist with a broader audience,” said Interlochen Center for the Arts President Trey Devey. “We hope viewers in Detroit and around the world will be inspired by Edmonia Lewis’s exceptional artistry, courage, and resilience—and by the dedicated performers and creatives who worked tirelessly to bring her story to life.”

About Detroit PBS
Serving Southeast Michigan, Detroit PBS is Michigan’s largest and most watched television station, with the most diverse public television audience in the country. Each week, more than 2 million viewers across Southeast Michigan and Canada tune in to watch the station’s five broadcast channels. Detroit PBS is the state’s only community-licensed station, meaning it operates independently of any educational or government institution. Its mission is to educate, engage, entertain and inspire through public media, delivering programming that showcases arts, culture, news and analysis, and educational outreach campaigns to broaden knowledge and understanding. It provides open access to trusted, balanced and inspiring content in partnership with the region’s diverse communities. To learn more, visit www.detroitpbs.org.

From the Desk of Trey Devey: A glimpse into the upcoming school year (Letters from the President 625420)

melissa.birdsey — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 19:04:55 +0000

From the Desk of Trey Devey: A glimpse into the upcoming school year (Letters from the President 625420) melissa.birdsey Mon, 09/11/2023 - 15:04 From the Desk of Trey Devey: A glimpse into the upcoming school yearPresident Devey previews the highlights of the 2023-24 academic year—from world-premiere performances and a groundbreaking film collaboration to a new IPR recording project and online classes for adult learners.

The 2023-24 Interlochen Arts Academy student body poses for a photo in The Interlochen Bowl.

September 13, 2023

The fall colors are beginning to show through the trees, apple cider is on the menu at the Melody Freeze, and the Concourse is once again filled with the sounds of young artists hailing from 27 countries and 45 US states and territories who have united through their shared love of the arts. The start of an Academy year is a special time indeed; and this year, there is much to look forward to.

This May, we will culminate the three-year exploration of the music and art of the African Diaspora with the world premiere of the opera Edmonia by award-winning composer Dr. Bill Banfield. The opera celebrates Edmonia Lewis (1844-1907), the acclaimed Black and Native American 19th-century sculptor. This interdisciplinary performance will be open to every arts major and will feature alumnus and Grammy Award-winning Broadway performer Sydney James Harcourt (AS 94, IAA 94-97). Dr. Banfield will be a visiting guest artist throughout the year. He will be joined in working with our students by Grammy Award-nominated jazz pianist and R&B singer Patrice Rushen. I highly recommend you reserve your tickets now for the May 3-5 performances.

We are also beginning a three-year project in collaboration with Greenacres Foundation to produce a new film showcasing the power of regenerative farming practices and its connection with human nutrition and the environment. In addition to the work that will be done by our Film & New Media Division, students also have the opportunity to enroll in a new hands-on science class utilizing our on-campus organic farm and the R.B. Annis Botanical Lab. The class, titled Biology: Regenerative Agriculture, will explore the power of regenerative agriculture through the lens of documentary film study.

In further environmental news, Interlochen Public Radio has launched a new partnership with Grist, a national leader in environmental reporting, which includes the placement of reporter Izzy Ross at IPR to cover climate solutions. Interlochen Public Radio will also be bringing alumni back to campus to record albums and perform in our regional community. Up to three recording projects may begin this year, starting with the Kodan Quintet in November. Based in Houston, the quintet is an internationally performing wind group that features three Interlochen alumni. They will be recording works of Victoria Bond and William Grant Still.

A new performance series will provide our students with regional touring opportunities and give our local community even more exposure to the amazing talents of our students and faculty. Interlochen in Town will stage events at the City Opera House and The Alluvion throughout the year. (Again, tickets are available for all of these performances.)

Our students will have the opportunity to take master classes with several other high-profile guest artists, including Nathan Gunn and Imani Winds. The Academy Orchestra will premiere a new work by Mary Watkins, the Dance Division will stage The Sleeping Beauty in collaboration with the Traverse Symphony Orchestra, and so much more. Through a partnership with DPTV, some of these performances will gain a wider audience on public television.

This fall, Interlochen Online is welcoming adult learners, offering opportunities for artists of all ages to boost their creativity. As our online offerings continue to grow, we are committed to being a resource for our alumni, providing professional development opportunities for them in areas where they would like to expand and strengthen their skill sets. The next session begins Oct. 23, 2023.

As the curtain rises on a year of inspiration and growth, we invite you to share in the magic that is Interlochen. Please plan to join us in witnessing the convergence of talent and passion, whether in-person, over the airwaves, or online. It’s going to be an incredible year!

With anticipation and gratitude,

Trey Devey

OnVision

Interlochen Arts Academy guest artist Dr. Bill Banfield receives Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award (News Articles 625217)

melissa.birdsey — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 15:01:16 +0000

Interlochen Arts Academy guest artist Dr. Bill Banfield receives Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award (News Articles 625217) melissa.birdsey Wed, 08/09/2023 - 11:01 Interlochen Arts Academy guest artist Dr. Bill Banfield receives Presidential Lifetime Achievement AwardAn award-winning composer, Banfield is currently working with Academy students, faculty, and guests to stage the world premiere production of his hybrid opera, ‘Edmonia.’

Composer Bll Banfield

August 9, 2023

Interlochen Arts Academy guest artist Dr. Bill Banfield recently received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.

Founded in 2003 by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation and led by AmeriCorps in partnership with Points of Light, the President’s Volunteer Service Award honors individuals whose volunteer service positively impacts their community and inspires others to take action. The program’s Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals who have exemplified the willingness to provide a high level of humanitarian assistance to their profession, their communities, and this great nation.

As a recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, Banfield received a certificate and a congratulatory letter from 46th President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Banfield’s name will also be included in President Biden’s White House archives.

An award-winning author, composer, and Berklee College of Music Professor Emeritus, Banfield has led Interlochen Arts Academy’s exploration of the history, culture, and artistry of the African Diaspora since 2021. The three-year curriculum will culminate in Spring 2024 with the world premiere of Banfield’s groundbreaking hybrid opera Edmonia, a multidisciplinary dramatization of the life, career, and rediscovery of 19th century African American and Native American sculptor Edmonia Lewis.

Learn more about the African Diaspora curriculum

OnCommunity

Three-year guest artist series contextualizes the art and culture of the African diaspora (Stories 427515)

melissa.birdsey — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:45:58 +0000

Three-year guest artist series contextualizes the art and culture of the African diaspora (Stories 427515) melissa.birdsey Mon, 09/12/2022 - 13:45 Three-year guest artist series contextualizes the art and culture of the African diasporaLed by composer and musicologist Dr. William Banfield, the series provides opportunities for Interlochen Arts Academy students to engage with diverse artists and premiere Banfield’s opera, “Edmonia.”

Composer and musicologist Dr. William "Bill" Banfield (center) works with an Arts Academy voice student during a master class.

September 14, 2022

Composer and musicologist Dr. William "Bill" Banfield (center) works with an Arts Academy voice student during a master class.

Acclaimed composer and jazz pianist Billy Childs (right) reviews a score with an Arts Academy bass student.

Yuval Sharon (left) and Davóne Tines (right) speak with Arts Academy opera students during their master class.

For decades, acclaimed African American and Native American sculptor Edmonia Lewis (1844-1907) was forgotten by the art world. Now, her turbulent life and remarkable work are at the heart of an ambitious new curriculum at Interlochen Arts Academy.

Begun in the fall of 2021, the three-year exploration examines the history, culture, and artistry of the African diaspora. The curriculum will culminate in the spring of 2024 with the premiere of the opera Edmonia, a compelling musical dramatization of Lewis’ life, career, and rediscovery.

“Our goal is to help students appreciate the history and culture of the people of the African diaspora and their influence on popular, jazz, and classical music in the United States,” said Camille Colatosti, Provost at Interlochen Center for the Arts. “This exploration will also help students increase their understanding of how diversity makes for a richer and more interesting community.”

Nurturing citizen artists in a diverse world

The three-year series was inspired by The Interlochen 5, the defining and reinforcing characteristics of an Interlochen Arts Academy education. These include a focus on mindfulness, creative capacity, interdisciplinary perspective, community, citizen artistry, and global and cultural perspective.

“In today’s world, the focus on a global outlook and on diversity, equity, and inclusion is so important. We are emphasizing this learning—both in our overall curriculum and in the works our students perform and create,” Colatosti said. “This focus on the art and culture of the African diaspora demonstrates our commitment to this important work.”

“The project also helps our students understand what it means to be a citizen artist in today’s world,” Colatosti continued. “Through the series, students learn how they can be part of creating a better society—one that recognizes everyone, that is based on a culture of respect for all, that appreciates diversity and understands history.”

Colatosti found the perfect partner for the project in her former colleague, musicologist and Edmonia composer Bill Banfield.

“A big piece of Bill’s personal mission is working with young people in developing their artistry and helping them understand their connection to the past,” Colatosti said. “Working with students at Interlochen—the premiere institution for the education of young artists—is a dream come true for him.”

Learning from experience

Under Banfield’s leadership, students of all majors will engage with a diverse cohort of guest artists representing the African diaspora.

“Interacting with experienced artists helps our students make industry connections and see the many different trajectories that a life in the arts can follow,” Colatosti said. “Learning how our guests have reached the point where they are now and how they’ve overcome the obstacles along the way shows our students that being an artist is a commitment that requires intentionality and resilience, and that involves many twists and turns.”

The series’ first guests, Gary L. Wasserman Artistic Director of the Detroit Opera Yuval Sharon and acclaimed bass-baritone Davóne Tines (IAC 04), visited campus in October 2021 ahead of the Detroit Opera’s 2022 production of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. During the visit, Sharon and Tines addressed the student body at a community meeting, held a panel discussion for music students, and led master classes for musical theatre and classical voice students. A third guest, jazz vocalist Laurin Talese, joined the Arts Academy’s Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Combos for a performance including Duke Ellington’s “Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me” and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II’s “The Folks Who Live on the Hill.”

Spring 2022 guests included acclaimed composer and jazz pianist Billy Childs and the Grammy Award-winning Ying Quartet. Childs’ residency included a side-by-side performance with the Academy’s Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Combos, master classes for jazz students, and a joint performance with vocalist Sara Gazarek, Academy flute instructor Nancy Stagnitta, and the Ying Quartet. The Ying Quartet also held chamber music lessons for the Academy’s string quartets.

The series continues this fall with a residency by Grammy-nominated jazz pianist, composer, and R&B singer Patrice Rushen. During her residency, Rushen will lead a recording session, conduct the Arts Academy Orchestra, and discuss film scoring with Film & New Media students. Rushen will also perform side-by-side with singer-songwriter and jazz combo students on Sept. 23.

Banfield will also hold several on-campus residencies throughout the African diaspora exploration—some alone, and some in tandem with other guests. While his position is officially composer in residence, Banfield describes his role as “a senior scholar in the arts.”

“I’m here to help pave the way with ideas and with expertise so that students can be truly impacted,” he said. “None of us can determine what the future will be. We can only help students understand what the current struggles, hurdles, and joys might be, but that’s going to prepare them so they can reshape the world artistically.”

According to Banfield, his status as an outsider to the Interlochen community creates a space for students to examine their interests beyond their chosen major, empowering them to embrace the Academy’s interdisciplinary nature.

“The students feel very safe to come to me and say, ‘I sing opera here, but I want to sing bluegrass,’” he said. “I can foster a discussion that allows a greater absorption of the wide palette of ideas that are already available at Interlochen. Sometimes you just need an outside person to say, ‘It’s okay to listen to rock n’ roll and bebop while learning Puccini arias and vocal exercises.’ In fact, not only is it okay, it’s required: The mono-path musician is the on-the-way-out-the-door musician. Today’s society calls for a deeper understanding of the many paths there are in the music industry.”

Banfield’s biggest lesson for students, however, is the importance of understanding the context of the art they create and perform. “The most important thing I want the Interlochen students to see, as an educator and a pedagogue, is that their pedagogy has to be inclusive,” he said. “It has to include repertoire that is current, but it also has to be wide enough for them to see how the past was constructed, how the present exists, and how the future might happen if they engage it in a transformative way.”

Giving voice to a forgotten artist

In addition to hosting master classes, leading community meetings, and helping with the Academy’s performance at the New York Philharmonic’s Liberation Festival, Banfield will also workshop his opera, Edmonia, with Arts Academy students and faculty from a variety of artistic disciplines. The Academy’s Spring 2024 premiere of Edmonia serves as the centerpiece for the entire series. For Banfield, it’s the fulfillment of a project more than two decades in the making.

Edmonia was first commissioned in 2000 by author Toni Morrison in collaboration with poet Yusef Komunyakaa. Under Morrison’s guidance, Banfield served as a composer-in-residence at Princeton’s Atelier program. The opera’s first act—which featured a libretto by Komunyakaa—premiered at the conclusion of the residency.

Fifteen years later, in 2015, Banfield was awarded a second grant to complete another act of the opera. After the premiere of the second act, Banfield resolved to complete the opera. He finished Edmonia during a 2017 residency in upstate New York—the same region from which Lewis hailed.

“It was as if she was calling to us from those very soils and hills in upstate New York to carry her story forward,” Banfield said. “After more than 20 years in development, finally getting Edmonia up on stage and in the eyes and ears of an audience is a thrill.”

A hybrid opera, Edmonia takes its direction from an eclectic mix of styles and approaches. The plot chronicles Lewis’s dramatic life—which Banfield describes as “an American artist’s story at every level.” The first act examines Lewis’s turbulent time in Oberlin, Ohio, including accusations that Lewis poisoned two fellow Oberlin College students and the resulting court case. The second act follows Lewis’s burgeoning professional career from Boston to Rome to Chicago. The epilogue, set in 1970s Chicago, dramatizes the rediscovery of Lewis’ most famous work, Death of Cleopatra.

“What I can’t believe is that [Lewis’s] story had been hidden for so long,” Banfield said. “She was one of the first women—and women of color—to be an integrated student at Oberlin, and like many American artists, she had to find recognition in Europe first. She hits all of these benchmarks of how we define a great artist.”

Since arriving at Interlochen in the spring of 2022, Banfield has been working closely with Instructor of Voice & Opera Laura Osgood Brown to prepare for the premiere.

“She’s been really pivotal,” Banfield said. “[Osgood Brown] knew the opera—she read the music, she listened to recordings, and she was really prepared to tell me what were potential challenges, what were potential springboards, and what the capacity of the students would be.”

Interlochen Arts Academy’s performance of Edmonia will expertly utilize Interlochen’s many resources, particularly its gifted students.

“At Interlochen, we can have 40, 50 people on stage—a number you would not normally be able to have at a professional company, even a major company,” Banfield said. “Here, we’ve got students who can dance, sing, paint, and understand technology. We can take advantage of being able to work with these talented students, and in return, we can give them a modern opera to help sculpt. Edmonia gives everyone involved a chance to paint with a deeper, wider palette to come up with something truly special.“

Banfield and Osgood Brown also plan to host an all-campus call for singers, inviting students and staff from all divisions to take part in the collaboration.

“We’re going to take a flute player or a dancer or a poet who can sing, and we’re going to put them up on stage,” Banfield said. “We hope that this will allow a cross-section of the departments’ students and staff to work together to bring to life this modern opera around this special figure, Edmonia Lewis.”

A cohort of graduate students from the University of Michigan will also work with Arts Academy students in preparation for the production. Performance dates will be announced prior to the 2023-24 academic year.

“Staging Edmonia is a tremendous opportunity not only to celebrate this remarkable artist, but also to show our students that opera is a living, breathing artform that remains a viable way to communicate important themes in the modern world,” Colatosti said. “It’s a great benefit for us and our students.”

Billy Childs’ residency was supported in part by an award from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts, and a grant from Arts Midwest. Patrice Rushen’s engagement is supported by the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional grants from Michigan Arts and Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

OffHappenings

Billy Childs, the Ying Quartet, and Sara Gazarek to perform joint concert at Interlochen (News Articles 262685)

skyelar.kavanagh@interlochen.org — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 20:00:12 +0000

Billy Childs, the Ying Quartet, and Sara Gazarek to perform joint concert at Interlochen (News Articles 262685) skyelar.kavana… Fri, 04/01/2022 - 16:00 Billy Childs, the Ying Quartet, and Sara Gazarek to perform joint concert at InterlochenThe jazz pianist/composer and string quartet will also lead master classes, performances, and campus discussions as part of Interlochen Arts Academy’s three-year exploration of the music and art of the African diaspora.

Billy Childs and the Ying Quartet

April 1, 2022

Experience three musical icons in one concert as acclaimed jazz pianist and composer Billy Childs takes the stage with the renowned Ying Quartet and singer Sara Gazarek. Leading classical flutist and jazz artist Nancy Stagnitta, instructor of flute and chamber music at Interlochen, will also join the group for two pieces.

The performance will take place Wednesday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Interlochen Center for the Arts’ Corson Auditorium. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at tickets.interlochen.org.

During their visit to Interlochen, Childs and the Ying Quartet will lead master classes for Arts Academy students and, along with composer William Banfield, address the campus community. The visit is part of the Academy’s three-year interdisciplinary exploration of the music and art of the African diaspora. This unique curriculum encourages students to study the history, culture, and artistry of music and art of the African diaspora, illuminating how related traditions, techniques, and trailblazers contribute to arts and culture. The curriculum will culminate in 2024 with the staged premiere of Banfield’s Edmonia, an opera chronicling the life and career of African American and Native American sculptor Edmonia Lewis (1844-1907).

A pianist, composer, and ensemble leader, Billy Childs is widely regarded as one of the most diversely prolific artists working in music today. Childs has been nominated for 16 Grammy Awards and won five, including awards for Best Jazz Instrumental Album; Best Arrangement, Instrumental & Vocal; and Best Instrumental Composition. As a composer, Childs draws influences from a wide range of artists—including Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Maurice Ravel, and Igor Stravinsky—and has completed commissions for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, American Brass Quintet, and violinist Rachel Barton Pine, among many others. His 2013 work “Enlightened Souls” was commissioned by Duke University to celebrate 50 years of African American students attending the school and was premiered by singer Dianne Reeves and the Ying Quartet. Childs’ accolades include a 2009 Guggenheim Fellowship, a 2013 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, and a composer’s award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (2015), among many others.

The Grammy Award-winning Ying Quartet combines brilliantly communicative performances with a fearlessly imaginative view of chamber music. The string quartet first attained professional prominence in the early 1990s as the first recipients of the NEA Rural Residence Grant. Since then, the quartet has remained committed to performing in diverse venues, ranging from traditional concert settings and the White House to workplaces, schools, and juvenile prisons. Avid champions of new music, the ensemble has commissioned numerous new works from both established and emerging composers as part of their ongoing LifeMusic project. The ensemble is currently quartet-in-residence at the Eastman School of Music, where they teach in the string department and lead a rigorous chamber music program.

Praised by the Winnipeg Free Press for her “impeccable” voice, vocalist Sara Gazarek “may well turn out to be the next important jazz singer” (Los Angeles Times). Since her debut at the age of 20, Gazarek has performed at prestigious venues around the globe; collaborated with jazz luminaries including Kurt Elling, Fred Hersch, Billy Childs, and Larry Goldings; and released five albums. Her most recent album, Thirsty Ghost (2019), was nominated for Grammy Awards for Best Vocal Jazz Album and Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals. Gazarek is currently on the jazz studies faculty at the University of Southern California.

This activity is supported in part by an award from the Michigan Council For Arts And Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment For The Arts.

Interlochen Arts Academy to present in 2024 the staged premiere of "Edmonia," an opera by William Banfield, as culmination of three-year interdisciplinary exploration of the music and art of the African diaspora (News Articles 215204)

ashley.seibel@interlochen.org — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 21:08:07 +0000

Interlochen Arts Academy to present in 2024 the staged premiere of "Edmonia," an opera by William Banfield, as culmination of three-year interdisciplinary exploration of the music and art of the African diaspora (News Articles 215204) ashley.seibel@… Tue, 01/25/2022 - 16:08 Interlochen Arts Academy to present in 2024 the staged premiere of "Edmonia," an opera by William Banfield, as culmination of three-year interdisciplinary exploration of the music and art of the African diasporaThe opera celebrates Edmonia Lewis, the acclaimed African American and Native American 19th-century sculptor.

Photograph of Edmonia Lewis by Augustus Marshall (Boston, Mass., circa 1870)

January 26, 2022

Photograph of Edmonia Lewis by Augustus Marshall (Boston, Mass., circa 1870)

Composer Bll Banfield

In the spring of 2024, Interlochen Arts Academy will present the staged premiere of the opera Edmonia by award-winning composer William Banfield. The opera celebrates Edmonia Lewis (1844-1907), the acclaimed African American and Native American 19th-century sculptor.

Originally commissioned in 2000 by Pulitzer- and Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, the opera spans Lewis's courageous life from her birth in upstate New York through her turbulent days at Oberlin College and formative studio days in Boston, to her astonishing move to Rome, Italy. In 1876, at the age of 32, Lewis captivated the world with her larger-than-life marble statue "The Death of Cleopatra" that now stands in the Smithsonian. Even with major art shows and commissions during her lifetime, she fell into oblivion at the turn of the 20th century, only to be "rediscovered" around 1970.

"We're thrilled and honored to present the first staged version of William Banfield's original opera Edmonia," said Interlochen Center for the Arts Provost Camille Colatosti. "Interlochen Arts Academy students from myriad artistic disciplines will collaborate to celebrate this extraordinary 19th-century artist. Together, we continue to expand our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to create educational experiences that unite diverse perspectives."

"Edmonia Lewis is one of the most important documented, celebrated Black cultural figures of the 19th century, and yet her story is largely untold and her life forgotten," said Bill Banfield. "The opera implores us to mindfully examine what happens when we miss the rich heritages cultivated by people and artisans all around us. I look forward to collaborating with Interlochen students to showcase her remarkable life and work."

The dramatic highs and lows of Lewis’s career are perhaps only surpassed by the astounding drama of her life itself. Accused of attempted murder by poisoning, befriended by Frederick Douglass, undaunted by world travel as a single woman or racial barriers in the late 1800s, she defied the odds of her time. Through her art, she worked for Black and Native American rights as well as gender equality, even as the U.S. Civil War raged and ended.

A celebrated composer whose symphonies, operas, and chamber works have been performed by major symphonies across the country, Bill Banfield is among most performed and recorded composers of his generation. He has served twice as a Pulitzer Prize judge in American music. Banfield's many academic appointments include serving as professor of Africana studies and music and society at the Berklee College of Music; as an endowed chair and professor of humanities, fine arts, and music at the University of St. Thomas; and as assistant professor of African American studies and music at Indiana University, where he developed the Undine Smith Moore Collection of Scores and Manuscripts of Black Composers.

Interlochen Arts Academy is the nation's premier boarding arts high school, where emerging artists transform passion and potential into purpose. Students pursue pre-professional training in music, dance, theatre, visual arts, creative writing, and film alongside a robust academic curriculum, preparing them to excel in the arts and beyond.

Interlochen Arts Academy's 2024 production of Edmonia will be the culmination of a three-year interdisciplinary exploration of the music and art of the African diaspora. This unique curriculum encourages students to study the history, culture, and artistry of music and art of the African diaspora, illuminating how related traditions, techniques, and trailblazers contribute to arts and culture.

The exploration kicked off in September 2021 when Yuval Sharon, the Gary L. Wasserman Artistic Director of Michigan Opera Theatre, and acclaimed bass-baritone Davóne Tines hosted master classes on the Interlochen campus and worked with students across disciplines. Additionally, in October 2021, guest artist Laurin Talese rehearsed and performed three pieces related to the project with Arts Academy students: Talese's "This Love," Duke Ellington's "Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me," and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's "The Folks who Live on the Hill."

A major component of the exploration will commence in spring 2022 when William Banfield begins his residency at Interlochen. Banfield will start workshopping his original Edmonia opera with musical theatre, orchestra, opera, choir, visual arts, and interdisciplinary arts students. In addition, he will lead a cohort of visiting artists and guest conductors representing the African diaspora.

Spring 2022 public events will include a concert with American jazz pianist, composer, and conductor Billy Childs, with works by Banfield; and a performance of the Billy Childs Ensemble and the Ying Quartet featuring Arts Academy students. Banfield, Childs, and the Ying Quartet will also conduct master classes and rehearsals, meet with student groups, and address the campus community.

Additional guest artists scheduled to take part in Interlochen's exploration of the African diaspora include American jazz pianist and R&B singer Patrice Rushen in the fall of 2022. Over the course of the three-year exploration, guest artists will work with students in all divisions, including dance, film & new media, theatre, creative writing, and visual arts.

OffHappenings