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Silent Voices (2017)

Silent Voices is a multimedia, multi-composer concert series conceived, produced and performed by the Chorus. The series launched in the Chorus’ 25th anniversary season with the world premiere at BAM’s Howard Gilman Opera House in May 2017.  Silent Voices harnesses the power of young people to be instruments of change, giving voice to those silenced or marginalized in our communities. The Chorus commissioned a diverse group of innovative artists to interpret rich historical narratives and personal stories in creating music that explores race and identity, gender and sexuality, inequity and social disparity—music that matters.

Launched in connection with Brooklyn Youth Chorus’s 2016-17 WQXR artist residency, Silent Voices was conceived by Dianne Berkun Menaker to engage the young singers artistically with the subjects and issues about which they are most passionate. She and stage director Kristin Marting co-curated the project, bringing together an unusually wide range of artistic collaborators spanning musical genres and art forms.

Commissioned composers for the world premiere included Jeff Beal (“House of Cards”), Mary Kouyoumdjian, Nico Muhly, Shara Nova, Toshi Reagon, Kamala Sankaram, Caroline Shaw and Paul Miller/DJ Spooky. Original writings by Hilton Als (The New Yorker), who won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, Claudia Rankine (Citizen), and playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury round out the work, which also features personal narratives, interviews, and historical texts. The libretto includes passages from authors and thinkers including Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow; George Savile, Marquis of Halifax’s 17th century chapbook to his daughter, The Lady’s New-Year’s Gift; and Patricia Bell-Scott’s The Firebrand and the First Lady, drawing from letters between civil rights activist Pauli Murray and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Video projections by Peter Nigrini, photo portraiture by Jay Maisel, and costumes by rag & bone are integrated throughout.

Unifying this musically and topically broad work is the distinctively beautiful sound of the rigorously-trained singers—a chorus of culturally and socioeconomically diverse New York City young people, ages 12–18.

Produced and Performed by: Brooklyn Youth Chorus
Conceived and Conducted by: Dianne Berkun Menaker
Developed with and Directed by: Kristin Marting

Writers and Librettists: Michelle Alexander, Hilton Als, Patricia Bell-Scott, Jackie Sibblies Drury, Pauli Murray, Shara Nova, Claudia Rankine, Toshi Reagon, Eleanor Roosevelt, George Savile, Caroline Shaw, Brooklyn Youth Chorus members

Host: Helga Davis
Scenic and Video Designer: Peter Nigrini and Dan Scully
Sound Designer: Garth MacAleavey
Lighting Designer: Jeanette Yew
Costume Designer: Kate Fry, with clothes provided by rag & bone
Dramaturgy: Peter McCabe
Stage Manager: Audrey Chait

Executive Producer: Nunally Kersh
Associate Producer: Jennifer Cambras
Production Manager: Robert W. Henderson, Jr.
Associate Production Manager: Dan Mullins
Assistant Director: Mahayan Landowe
Lighting Assistant: Christina Tang
Costume Assistant: Lily Shell

Silent Voices is a multimedia, multi-composer, and multi-year series of concert works with spoken word conceived, produced and performed by Brooklyn Youth Chorus. Silent Voices amplifies the voices of those silenced or marginalized and harnesses the power of young people to be instruments of change. The Chorus has commissioned a diverse group of innovative artists to interpret rich personal stories and historical narratives exploring contemporary themes of identity, orientation, status, boundaries and belonging.

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