A Multidimensional Experience
Creative Direction by Oh! Creative, in partnership with Resonance Ensemble and The Oregon Symphony
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT: An African American Requiem
Oh! Creative provided: Creative Direction, Event Production Support, Graphic Design, Video Production
Working with Resonance Ensemble, Oregon Symphony, and All Classical Portland alongside an Advisory Council made up of Portland artists and leaders, Oh! Creative provided event production support for An African American Requiem, a multi-dimensional experience geared toward Black PPS students and families that included curricular integration, in-school presentations, workshops, a live performance of this major composition for full orchestra and symphonic choir by Portland composer Damien Geter, and post-show interactive engagement.
Poet and narrator Dr. S. Renee Mitchell, Oh! Creative founder, Liz Bacon, and Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon, Artistic Director for Resonance Ensemble at the AAR premiere, May 2022
Scheduled for May 2020 in a partnership with the Oregon Symphony and All Classical Radio, the world premiere was delayed due to the Covid pandemic.
Standing ovation! May 2022
On May 7th — after five years of collaborating, planning, rehearsing, and a two-year postponement — the world premiere of An African American Requiem was presented to a full house at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and was broadcast live coast-to-coast by All Classical Radio and WQXR New York City. On May 23, 2022.
After the final notes of the choir and orchestra resounded, we all stood together and applauded the stunning performances of Brandie Sutton, Karmesha Peake, Bernard Holcomb, Kenneth Overton, poet S. Renee Mitchell, the incredible singers from Resonance Ensemble. We continue to be grateful to Resonance Ensemble and composer Damien Geter for entrusting this visionary work to us.
“WE DID IT!” creative director, Liz Bacon with composer, Damien Geter
Oh Creative also produced a video series as a part of a larger multi-dimensional educational curriculum package that included curricular integration, in-school presentations, workshops, a live performance, and post-show interactive engagement. The curriculum provided Portland Public School's student access to the world premiere of celebrated composer Damien Geter’s “An African American Requiem”, an important new work for choir and orchestra commissioned by Resonance Ensemble which premiered in Portland, OR in May of 2022.
Plans are in the works to develop this project so that public school students across the country are able to experience it.
To watch the video series. click here.
The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, OR was abuzz with pre-concert experiences. May 2022
