Search - Abby Fischer, Nathan Koci, Anthony Turner :: Ted Hearne: Katrina Ballads

Katrina Ballads is a collection of songs inspired by the tragic events surrounding Hurricane Katrina. Scored
for five singers and 11 instrumentalists, the piece uses entirely primary-source texts to paint a rich musical portrait of that devastating and telling week in September 2005. The text-setting includes the words of
Barbara Bush, Dennis Hastert, Mary Landrieu, Kanye West, Anderson Cooper, and George W. Bush's
emblematic 'Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job', as well as testimonies from survivors and relief workers. With this provocative and poignant material, New York composer Ted Hearne creates a cutting edge musical experience and a vivid look into America's darkest hours. The music is rhythmic, theatrical, and American to the core, possessing an edgy post-minimalist drive and a deep jazz influence. It is a moving experience, challenging us to remember and reflect upon our own history. Since premiering to rave reviews at the 2007 Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, the piece has gone on to be performed in New York and Chicago. In 2009, Katrina Ballads won the Gaudeamus Composition Prize and was included alongside the works of seven other composers in New York City Opera's contemporary opera series VOX 2009: Showcasing American Composers.