Ravinia 2022, Issue 2

LAURIE BERKNER While Laurie Berkner never planned to be a children’s performer, looking back on her ca- reer it almost seems inevitable. While grow- ing up in Princeton, NJ, Berkner was always involved in music, whether singing in choirs, playing in bands, or performing in musi- cal theater. In high school and throughout college (at Rutgers University), she toured Europe with several choirs and orchestras as a soloist and guitarist. After graduation, Berkner spent several years as a children’s music specialist at New York–area preschool and day care centers before becoming a pro- fessional musician in 1992. She maintains a busy touring schedule and has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the White House, among many venues. Berkner was the first recording artist ever to perform in music videos on Nick Jr. and was a frequent pres- ence on the network’s Jack’s Big Music Show series. Her music videos now appear regular- ly on Sprout House and The Laurie Berkner Band’s YouTube channel, and she is often fea- tured on SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live . In 2018, she created a 10-chapter Audible Original Series titled Laurie Berkner’s Song and Story Kitchen . Berkner has released 12 bestselling, award-winning albums: Whaddaya Think of That (1997), Buzz Buzz (1998), Victor Vito (1999), Under a Shady Tree (2002), Rocketship Run (2008), The Best of The Laurie Berkner Band (2010), A Laurie Berkner Christmas (2012), Laurie Berkner Lullabies (2014), The Ultimate Laurie Berkner Band Collection (2014), Laurie Berkner’s Favorite Classic Kids’ Songs (2015), Superhero (2016), and Laurie Berkner: The Dance Remixes (2017). She has also released seven digital collections of her songs: Laurie Berkner’s Food Songs , Lau- rie Berkner’s Animal Songs , Laurie Berkner’s Transportation Songs , Laurie Berkner’s Class- room Favorites , Laurie Berkner’s Movement Songs , Laurie Berkner’s Nature Songs , and Love . Berkner recently authored three picture books for Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, each based on one of her beloved songs— We Are the Dinosaurs , Pillowland , and Monster Boogie —having previously writ- ten two Barnes & Noble Nook Kids e-books. Laurie Berkner first played at Ravinia in 2004, and today she makes her 11th appear- ance at the festival. PAVILION 7:30 PM SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MARIN ALSOP, conductor MARCUS ROBERTS TRIO MARCUS ROBERTS, piano RODNEY JORDAN, bass JASON MARSALIS, drums ADRIAN DUNN SINGERS † ADRIAN DUNN, conductor TRADITIONAL “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord” (arr. Dunn) Adrian Dunn Singers ROBERTS Rhapsody in D for Jazz Trio and Orchestra * Marcus Roberts Trio –Intermission– DVOŘÁK/FISHER “Goin’ Home” (arr. Dunn) Adrian Dunn Singers DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”) Adagio—Allegro molto Largo Scherzo: Molto vivace Allegro con fuoco † Ravinia debut ** First performance by the CSO and at Ravinia Ravinia expresses its appreciation for the generous support of Season Sponsor Nancy Zadek . TRADITIONAL SPIRITUAL “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord” (arranged by Adrian Dunn) History has obscured the early history of the traditional spiritual “My Soul’s Been An- chored in the Lord.” Its music first appeared in print in Folk Songs of the American Negro No. 1 , edited by Frederick J. Work and pub- lished in 1907. Several arrangers—Aaron Dale, Stacey V. Gibbs, Bruce Trinkley, and, perhaps most famously, Moses Hogan—have created inspiring choral settings of this spiritual. Cele- brated African American contralto Marian Anderson concluded her nationally broadcast Easter Sunday (April 9, 1939) recital at the Lin- colnMemorial with a group of three spirituals, the last of which was Florence Price’s arrange- ment of “My Soul Is Anchored in the Lord.” The arrangement performed on this occasion is the work of Adrian Dunn, a dynamic singer, conductor, composer, and producer in Chi- cago. Dunn received bachelor and master’s degrees in vocal performance from Roosevelt University, where he is an adjunct faculty member and consulting advisor to the dean of the Chicago College of Performing Arts on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. He pursued advanced studies in opera at the Si- belius Academy of Music in Finland and has sung in professional ensembles such as the Blossom Festival Chorus, Chicago Symphony Chorus, and Grant Park Symphony Chorus, as well as at the CCM Spoleto Opera Festival in Spoleto, Italy. A diversely talented musi- cian, Dunn garnered Album Producer of the Year honors at the Rhythm of Gospel Awards for the CD AME Live featuring the AME In- ternational Mass Choir , received MacArthur Foundation and Richard Driehaus Founda- tion grants (2009) in support of his Hopera: A Hip Hop Opera , and recently premiered a five-movement suite called The 42 Project: A Tribute to the Life and Legacy of Jackie Rob- inson with the University of Utah Chamber Choir on April 19, 2022. In addition, he is founder and artistic director of The Adrian Dunn Singers and Rize Orchestra. Marian Anderson performing at the Lincoln Memorial (April 9, 1939) RAVINIA.ORG • RAVINIA MAGAZINE 37