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South Dakota Symphony Orchestra and New Porcupine Singers collaborate for unique performance on the Pine Ridge Reservation The South Dakota Symphony’s Dakota Chamber Orchestra will make a special, rare appearance on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation on Saturday, May 23, as part of Red Cloud Indian School’s commencement celebration. Joined by the New Porcupine Singers, the orchestra will present “The Lakota Music Project,” a performance that incorporates the string music of the symphony with historical Lakota drum music. Both groups will be performing original compositions about love, war, mourning and celebration created specifically for this project, melding both cultures together for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “What a wonderful way to close the academic year,” says Tina Merdanian, director of institutional relations at Red Cloud. “It is an honor for all of us to welcome these outstanding artists to our campus during this pivotal moment in the lives of our high school graduates. Just as we work to make connections between the past, present and future, so too will this performance—it is a fitting tribute for our students and their families.” The collaboration between the chamber orchestra and the New Porcupine Singers is one of the most important and unique endeavors ever undertaken by the South Dakota Symphony, says Maestro Delta David Grier. “Through the meditation of music, truly the universal language, our hope is to build bridges between cultures and create an environment in which engagement is positively demonstrated and the possibility of understanding each other is renewed,” he says. The evening’s program will include Robert Moore singing the national anthem, which he also performed at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. The New Porcupine Singers will perform the Lakota song. Brent Michael David, founding artistic advisor of the First Nations Composer Initiative with the American Composers Forum, will present his original composition with Jeff Paul as principal oboist. The performance will take place at 6 p.m. in the Paul Dizzy Trout Memorial Fieldhouse. Food and beverages will be served after the performance. Join us in our mission of educating the mind and spirit of the Lakota people, now and for future generations. Please consider an online gift. |
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