Ravinia 2024 Issue 3

DAVE RAGLAND (b. 1978) Precatio The Queen of Sheba Dave Ragland is a four-time Emmy-nominated composer, conductor, vocalist, and educator based in Nashville, TN. Most recently, Ragland was named the first place winner of The Atlanta Opera’s 96-Hour Opera Composition Competi- tion. He also received the 2022 Adams-Owens Composition Award by the African American Art Song Alliance. Ragland has received the 2021 American Prize in Composition, two Telly Awards, and two Midsouth Regional Emmy nominations for his work as composer and au- dio engineer of Nashville Opera’s One Vote Won . Ragland is currently collaborating with Damon Davis, Ted Hearne, Alarm Will Sound, and In- version Vocal Ensemble on Davis’s concept op- era Ligeia Mare . Ragland collaborated with librettist Mary Mc- Callum to create the children’s opera Charlie and the Wolf for the Cedar Rapids Opera, and the educational opera Beatrice for Oregon’s Portland Opera. Additional composition credits include LA Opera, Washington National Opera, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Bal- let, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Intersec- tion Contemporary Ensemble, chatterbird, and the Alias Chamber Ensemble. Ragland was the 2020 Grady-Rayam Negro Spirituals Founda- tion composer-in-residence and a member of the inaugural cohort of composers for the Na- tional Teachers of Singing (NATS) Mentoring Program. Ragland is a proud member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Precatio , an evocative art song sung in Latin, guides the listener through a profound spiritu- al journey within a sacred temple space. Here, the protagonist seeks to affirm her identity as a beautiful daughter of African female rulers of the past. The song’s tranquil opening evolves into a powerful, rhythmic dance at its core, re- flecting a jubilant celebration of heritage and strength. As the rhythmic intensity subsides, the piece concludes with a demanding imploration Dave Ragland for the “Divine Mothers of Water” to enter the temple, invoking a sense of reverence and unity with ancestral spirits. This composition weaves together elements of spirituality, history, and rhythmic vitality. The Queen of Sheba —enveloped in a mysterious and enchanting aura—draws inspiration from the rich tapestry of Ethiopian musical tradi- tions, utilizing scales and modes that evoke the ancient and mystical. As the Queen of Sheba journeys to meet King Solomon, the song os- cillates between ethereal melodies and poignant spoken word, creating a dynamic interplay that underscores her journey of self-discovery and empowerment. The Queen’s lyrical testament to her sovereignty and strength is rendered with an authenticity that honors her storied legacy. –Program notes by Dave Ragland CARLOS SIMON (b. 1986) Behold, The Queen Carlos Simon is a multifaceted and highly sought-after Grammy-nominated composer and curator. The current Composer-in-Resi- dence for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Simon’s work spans genres, taking great inspiration from liturgical texts, prose, poetry, and art. The 2023–24 season saw premiere performances with San Diego Sym- phony, National Symphony Orchestra, The Washington Chorus, and Los Angeles Master Chorale, following recent other commissions from the likes of the Minnesota Orchestra, Bos- ton Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera, and New York Philharmonic. In September 2023, Simon released two albums on Decca. Together is a compilation of solo and chamber compositions and arrangements fea- turing Simon and guests such as J’Nai Bridges, Randall Goosby, Seth Parker Woods, and Will Liverman. brea(d)th is a landmark work com- missioned by Minnesota Orchestra and written Carlos Simon in collaboration with Marc Bamuthi Joseph, which was written following George Floyd’s murder as a direct response to America’s unful- filled promises and history of systemic oppres- sion against Black Americans. His 2022 album, Requiem for the Enslaved , was nominated for a 2023 Grammy Award. “If Simon has inherited anything from his lin- eage, it appears to be a desire to build bridges between worlds and use music to illuminate them.” — Washington Post SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR (1875–1912) “A Prayer” from African Romances , op. 17 “A Prayer”—the second song in Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s African Romances , op. 17, a collection of seven settings of poetry by Paul Laurence Dunbar—is indication of Dunbar’s fervent faith in the Deity, while also acknowl- edging the feeling of spiritual and physical sep- aration from God. The poet likens himself to a weary traveler exhausted by the labors of life’s journey and torn by thorns “thick and keen.” Dunbar’s bouts with depression, thoughts of self-harm, alcoholism, and other life traumas lend themselves to needing a moment to beg for relief. He felt that, while on earth, his prayer was answered by his wife Alice being in his life. He makes a brief, impassioned plea that God would lead his “wounded feet” to where “heal- ing waters flow” and bestow the “gracious balm” he needs: “Where healing waters flow do thou my footsteps lead. My heart is aching so; Thy gracious balm need.” The third verse is not used in Coleridge-Taylor’s setting. –Program note by Dr. Makeda Hampton JESSIE NZINGA MONTGOMERY (b. 1981) The Song of Nzingha Jessie Montgomery, Musical America ’s 2023 Composer of the Year, is a Grammy-nominat- ed, acclaimed composer, violinist, and educator whose works are performed around the world by leading musicians and ensembles. Described as “turbulent, wildly colorful, and exploding with life” ( Washington Post ), her music inter- weaves classical music with elements of vernac- ular music, improvisation, poetry, and social consciousness, making her an acute interpret- er of twenty-first century American sound and experience. In July 2021, she began a three-year appointment as the Chicago Symphony Orches- tra’s Mead Composer-in-Residence. Highlights of her 2022–23 season included the world premieres of orchestral works for violinist Joshua Bell; the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; a consortium led by the Dallas Symphony Or- chestra for New Music USA Amplifying Voices; a violin duo for CSO MusicNOW and the RAVINIA.ORG  • RAVINIAMAGAZINE 69 KENDALLBESSENT(SIMON)