D-Composed and Poetry Foundation Present: Love Is...

Join D-Composed and Poetry Foundation at The Land School for a partnered program exploring love and poetry.

We're pleased to invite you to join us at The Land School on Thursday, June 4, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. In partnership with the Poetry Foundation and Rebuild, D-Composed revisits Love Is…, a program exploring love through poetry and music. D-Composed breathes new life into poetry and the written word through the music of Black composers.

This performance features the D-Composed string quartet and Chicago poets Davon Clark, Shawnee Dez, Faylita Hicks, Raych Jackson, Shanta Nurullah, and Marvin Tate. Throughout the event there will also be audio and visual vignettes of footage from the South Side Home Movie Project.

Please note: All Poetry Foundation events are completely free of charge and open to the public. Advanced registration is encouraged. The performance space is ADA-compliant and wheelchair-accessible, and the program will feature ASL interpretation.

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About The Poetry Foundation

The Poetry Foundation transforms lives through the power of words. Our work aims to amplify poetry and celebrate poets by fostering spaces for all to create, experience, and share poetry.

The Poetry Foundation is a 501(c)(3) exempt private nonoperating foundation located in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 2003 upon receipt of a major gift from philanthropist Ruth Lilly, the Poetry Foundation evolved from the Modern Poetry Association, which was a literary organization founded in 1941 to support the publication of Poetry magazine. The gift from Ruth Lilly allowed the Poetry Foundation to expand and enhance the presence of poetry in the United States and established an endowment that will fund Poetry in perpetuity.

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About D-Composed

Historians of art and culture may not currently take into full account that Black culture and creativity are a part of every musical institution's foundation that we currently see today. D-Composed, a Black chamber music collective, exists to ensure that we never forget it. Led by their mission to uplift and empower society through the music of Black composers, this Chicago-based creative incubator serves as a bridge between the past and the present, connecting to the future of representation, music-centered experiences, and the communal power of Black composers and their lasting impact. For this collective, music evolves entertainment becoming a storytelling tool that educates and inspires.

D–COMPOSED /DEE-KUHM-POHZD/ – ADVERB - Our creative process that involves the breaking down of preconceived notions, barriers, and opinions of what people think classical music should be to re-writing our own narrative to reflect what the classical world could be.

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In Fall of 2025, D-Composed was named one of the inaugural creative partners-in-residence at Rebuild and Theaster Gates' latest space-based, land-art project, The Land School.

D-Composed Participating Ensemble Members:

Caitlin Edwards - Violin

Khelsey Zarraga - Violin

Wilfred Farquharson - Violin

Lindsey Sharpe - Cello

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About The Land School

The Land School, a new pedagogical platform at the site of the former St. Laurence Elementary School, proposes a radical model of artistic experimentation and archival stewardship, providing space, time, access, collaborative inquiry, process-driven programming, and performance, all led by an intergenerational cohort of artists, archivists, scholars, craftspeople, cultural workers, and creative organizations invested in culture as a service.

The Land School's Policies and Protocol:

Upon arrival, please enter the building at the entrance on S. Dorchester Ave.

Ride sharing is encouraged as parking is limited. Please be sure to not block the entrances and exits of our neighbors.

Firearms on the premises are strictly prohibited.

No smoking, vaping or incense is permitted inside.

No pets are allowed.

No professional photo/video equipment allowed unless preapproved by Rebuild.

Please be mindful of your neighbors by respecting their personal space and bodily autonomy.

No violence - verbal or physical - will be tolerated. Any attendee creating an unsafe environment will be removed from the premises immediately, at the discretion of the Rebuild staff.

We take the safety our all of our guests seriously. If any guest is found violating these protocols, they may be escorted off the property immediately and will not be welcome to return.

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Notice of Photography and Videography

By entering The Land School, you acknowledge and consent to being photographed and/or videotaped. Images and recordings may be used for promotional, archival, or other purposes by the organizers. If you do not wish to be photographed or recorded, please notify a staff member upon arrival. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

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Thank you for reviewing and honoring The Land School's policies and protocol.

We look forward to welcoming you!