Presented in collaboration with the New York Philharmonic

An evening of exploration into Rzewski’s The People United Will Never Be Defeated investigates the revolutionary spirit and how political and social change manifests from the international to the local. This world premiere of a newly commissioned orchestration of Rzewski’s The People United Will Never Be Defeated consists of a set of variations on a theme based on a Chilean protest song. The arrangements are being created by 18 composers from across America’s cultural spectrum, including Chickasaw citizen Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, Pulitzer Prize winner and Cuban immigrant Tania León, Brazil-born Marcos Balter, and Bahamas-born and Atlanta-raised Joel Thompson.

This conversation is part of a five-event series examining the American experience in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. Moderated by renowned ethnomusicologist, historian, and Juilliard faculty member Fredara Hadley, each discussion is scheduled to last one hour and will be followed by an audience Q&A.