In addition to a cycle of operas about the African-American experience that composer Joseph C. Phillips, Jr. has been working on, he is also planning a series of related compositions – such as orchestral and choral works – that will expand on some of these themes. The cycle itself, which already includes two operas, explores themes such as the role the 1619 arrival of the first enslaved Africans played in the creation and development of the country, through the ways African Americans have lived, worked and socialized ever since.
The first companion piece in this series is a commission by the American Composers Orchestra, a four-movement piece that in part delves into some of the ways African Americans have sought out time away – whether in nature, their own resorts or communal gatherings. For this project, he has put out a call for submissions from the public asking for photos, memories or other memorabilia that capture those experiences in African American life. A Tempo host Rachel Katz speaks with him and ACO Artistic Director Curtis Stewart about this work and Phillips's broader opera project.
