Our Work

Kababayan:

A Celebration of Filipino Identity

Kababayan is a livestream, multimedia event that celebrates the unity and diversity of Filipinos, and the complex connection to the Filipino identity through art and music. Kababayan is the Philippine word for “countrymen,” and appears in many languages of the Philippines. It is a word that connects all Filipinos, no matter where they are.

Good, Necessary Trouble

The onset of the global pandemic caused us to be reawakened to the ugly truth of the system on which America stands, and the people it has for so long neglected. As we begin to reckon with racial injustices and oppression as a country, we have witnessed an endless deluge of nationwide protesting.

Good, Necessary Trouble examines the role music plays in protesting injustice and in the telling of the stories from our history. This free virtual concert and conversation discuss what it means to use music as a catalyst for change.

A Journey Unsung

A Journey Unsung takes a musical look into the absolute spiritual strength of a people ensnared in an inexorable place determined to find "home." Spirituals often tell the story of a voyage to a promised land. This performance explores the emotional, spiritual and physical journey of Black Americans from Africa to present-day North America.

Spirituals and Justice

Spirituals and Justice celebrates storytelling through spirituals and songs as a means to put ideas of community and justice in the face of discrimination.

Reflections

Reflections honors the music of Black composers often overlooked in a vastly Eurocentric art form. We celebrate the passion, skill, and sheer beauty of works by William Grant Still, Wendell Whalum, Zenobia Powell Perry and more. Featuring a host of Chicago-based musicians and singers, Reflections explores the melodies of passed down negro spirituals and how their themes can be identified throughout black composers’ song oeuvres.