DREAMING (Freedom Sounds)

Freedom is a theme that has been present in my music for many years. I am on a journey with a series of projects inspired by the idea of sounds of freedom. The idea for this larger project has been inspired by my mentor George E. Lewis and his music, writing, and teaching, and specifically hearing him discuss the question, “What is the sound of freedom?”

The process for composing DREAMING (Freedom Sounds) began at the height of the pandemic with discussions with members of the International Contemporary Ensemble on sounds of freedom, love, home, spirit, sanctuary, and transformation. The resulting composition is a meditation on themes of freedom—freedom within a system, and freedom beyond a system—and weaves together texts by Frederick Douglass and W.E.B. Du Bois, George E. Lewis, Robin D. G. Kelley, and Farah Jasmine Griffin. In the libretto, there are recitations of excerpts from various recent US Supreme Court letters of dissent, including texts written by Justices Jackson, Sotomayor, Kagan, and Breyer on the rulings against affirmative action, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ rights. Throughout the piece, birdsong plays a significant role—including songs of cardinals, sparrows, hummingbirds, blue jays, and mourning doves with all of their symbolic meanings.

DREAMING (Freedom Sounds), approximately 20 minutes long, is written for an 11-piece ensemble including two voices and is structured in six movements: I. The Color Line; II. We Dissent; III. What is the Sound of Freedom?; IV. Freedom Dreams; V. The Garden; and VI. Grace. This premiere of DREAMING (Freedom Sounds) salutes the 50th wedding anniversary of Arlene and Larry Dunn, who commissioned the piece for the International Contemporary Ensemble, and celebrates their commitment to civil rights and their enthusiastic and unwavering support of creative musicians.

—Courtney Bryan