Tuesday, May 28
In Person at the Weitzman
5:00pm Doors | 6:00pm Program Start
Free | Registration Required

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This free panel discussion delves into the creative work behind Generate Music, a new collection of compositions exploring the ties between Black and Jewish Americans. In a conversation moderated by WWFM’s David Osenberg, Generate Music artists Diane Monroe (composer/violinist), Susan Watts (composer/vocalist/trumpet), and David Gilmore (electric guitar) will talk about the process of making music with a special 11-member “supergroup” formed for this project, inspiration for their compositions, and more. The all-saxophone PRISM Quartet will present the world premiere of Generate Music on June 8 at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. The conversation will be moderated by David Osenberg.

More About the Panelists
Trumpet virtuoso and Pew Fellow Susan Watts is the sole living purveyor of an important klezmer dynasty that reaches back to the Jewish Ukraine of the 19th century. Her piece is entitled Convergence. She writes: “To the Jew and to the African American there are important songs and sentiments that define each culture’s tropes. At times, both cultures may have difficulty hearing each other. My composition works toward bridging that gap with musical reciprocity: reimagining the Black National Anthem with Yiddish words and re-contextualizing the songs of the synagogue and songs of both people’s culture, awareness, hopes, and struggles to be heard and understood.”

Diane Monroe’s Ironies takes its title from, in her words, “the ironies of my grandparents attending the services of Black Jewish Rabbi Abel Respes at a synagogue in Philadelphia, after my grandmother’s years of domestic work for Jewish families” and “my own experiences within educational and social segregation, alongside strong bonding between Black and Jewish Americans in my own neighborhood, throughout the civil rights movement, and in my life-long friendships as an African American with Jewish Americans.” Diane is a Pew Fellow and former first violinist of the Uptown String Quartet and the Max Roach Double Quartet.

Guitarist David Gilmore has worked with Wayne Shorter, Dave Douglas, Muhal Richard Abrams, Sam Rivers, Steve Coleman, Cassandra Wilson, Don Byron, Uri Caine, Randy Brecker, David Sanborn, Ron Blake, Carolyn Leonhart and Christian McBride, among many others. In addition to his significance presence on the international touring scene, Gilmore has also appeared on over 50 recordings, including two of his own as leader. His first CD, Ritualism (2001) received international critical praise and was nominated for the 2001 Debut CD of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association. 

About the Moderator
The high point in David Osenberg’s broadcasting career came in 2014 when he was the recipient of the Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award for Broadcasting for his weekly program, Cadenza.  David came to WWFM The Classical Network in 2004. In 2006 he began hosting his weekly Cadenza interview program. Since 2009 he has been at the forefront in making the station the most active classical music station in the USA to broadcast live concerts.  He currently serves as Music Director, Partnership Manager, Host of Cadenza, the unique Celebrating Our Musical Future (bringing listeners weekly concerts from the great music schools in the country) and afternoon drive time host. In the past, he has taught music at the University of Delaware-Wilmington, served as Music Director at a church, and founded and still leads The Straight Ahead Big Band.

Live at The Weitzman
101 South Independence Mall East (Corner of 5^th & Market)
Philadelphia, PA 19106

You May Also be interested in

• May 30 Generate Music Panel Discussion with Ursula Rucker, David Krakauer and Jared Jackson. 
• June 8 Generate Music Concert Premiere at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. 

Visit generate.prismquartet.com for more information