May

SACRED GROUND: Concert & Celebration feat. Leah Suárez & Bare Witness

by D E L A L U Z global

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Date and Time

Sat, May 6, 2017

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM EDT

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Location

Circular Congregational Church

150 Meeting Street

Charleston, SC 29401

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Event description

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SACRED GROUND: Concert & Celebration featuring Leah Suárez + Bare Witness

06 MAY 2017, Saturday
8PM, Doors @ 7:30PM

Circular Congregational Church
Donation, Pay-What-You-Will (or) $25/ticket option

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150 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401
120 minute performance with intermission.
Reception and celebration to follow, included in ticket purchase.

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SACRED GROUND

SACRED GROUND is a concert and celebration, featuring the premiere performance of Sacred Ground, a song cycle composed by Leah Suárez of the same name, in collaboration with Alex Collier, inspired as a response to that fateful summer night 17 June 2015 at Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church in the Holy City, in addition to being a source of exploration for the idea that “sacred ground” is where we heal ourselves and, indeed, heal the world. It is the place where we acknowledge, process and transcend our very humanity.

The genesis of Sacred Ground was premiered May 2016 in Haldensleben, Germany, commissioned by the Felix and Caroline von Nathusius Family as part of a larger initiative, Projekt CHARME. This performance was one of two over the period of two days, celebrating the 1050th anniversary of the town and the dedication of a timely structure built by students of the American College of the Building Arts (Charleston, SC), blessed, dedicated and named Charleston Place as a gesture of thanks to the students of ACBA and of solidarity with the town of Charleston, as it dealt with the consequences of the Emanuel AME killings with dignity, forgiveness and a spirit of unity which was set a stunning example to communities around the world.

Musician, Leah Suárez, says: ”I am deeply grateful to be invited to participate in such a joyous occasion. I found profound peace in the natural landscape of Haldensleben-Hundisburg and I look forward to returning with the gift of music. It is a special privilege to represent my home of Charleston, South Carolina and to humbly honor the lives of our brothers and sisters who died in the massacre of 17 June 2015 at Mother Emanuel A.M.E. church. Where we find common ground is where we heal the world. My colleagues and I look forward to being a small part of that energy and we are especially grateful to the von Nathusius Family for providing a bridge for our worlds to connect.”

This year’s American premiere will be a world premiere of the fully realized treatment of the composition in its entirety. The concert will also include additional music selections in keeping with its theme, rooted in jazz, blues, classical and folk traditions.

SACRED GROUND is a humble offering, dedicated to the EMANUEL 9 – those who paid the ultimate price on that balmy summer night, 17 June 2015, and to the survivors of the Mother Emanuel A.M.E Massacre, whom have graciously carried the burden of bearing witness:

Emanuel 9: The Rev. Clementa Pinckney, Cynthia Hurd, Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Tywanza Sanders, Ethel Lance, Susie Jackson, Rev. Daniel Simmons, Myra Thompson; Survivors: Jennifer Pinckney, Polly Sheppard, Felicia Sanders, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Clementa Pinckney, granddaughter of Felicia Sanders

BARE WITNESS

Artists: Leah Suárez, Alex Collier, Gerald Gregory, Bill Carson, Herman Burney, Jr., Jay Ware, Mark Sterbank, John Cobb, Cameron Handel, Vincent Chandler, Lindsay Holler, Marcus Amaker, and more to be announced.

Music composition and arranging contributions by Leah Suárez, Alex Collier, Joel Holmes, Mitch Butler, Michael Bellar and Bill Carson.

Special thanks to Martin Buhl and Kuba Gudz.

BARE WITNESS is an ongoing project and collective, led by Leah Suárez, that will continue to evolve, committed to the art of bearing witness. If you are interested in learning more about how you can support the continued development of BARE WITNESS and/or commission an encore performance of Sacred Ground, reach out: leah@leahsuarez.com.

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SACRED GROUND is produced and presented by D E L A L U Z Global with generous support from the Felix and Caroline von Nathusius Family. Additional support from music-loving patrons, dear colleagues, friends and family.

D E L A L U Z Global (De La Luz, LLC) is a boutique arts and culture production house, creating at the intersection where light meets life.

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