January 20, 2020
Wikswo’s new collaboration in libretto/text and video/film with Pamela Madsen Oratorio for the Earth premiers via the National Endowment for the Arts and New Music USA with a host of luminary partners. In conjunctions with Celebrating Climate Change and the Arts initiative and awareness this spring at California State University at Fullerton with the Premiere of Pamela Madsen’s National of Endowment for the Arts and New Music USA funded project: Oratorio for the Earth. The work is performed with CSUF Symphony Orchestra, University Singers with ModernMedieval, Nicholas Isherwood, Quintan Ana Wikswo and Aron Kallay’s Brightwork newmusic and more!
Wikswo created the libretto and images and film for ORATORIO, which is part of a major body of work that will unfold with core funding secured over the coming five years.
ORATORIO FOR THE EARTH
ORATORIO FOR THE EARTH-KAMA-River of Stars is a multi-movement work by composer Pamela Madsen for orchestra, choir, ensembles, electronics and video created in collaboration with musicians Nicholas Isherwood, TwoSense: Ashley Bathgate, Lisa Moore, Brightwork New Music, pianists Amy Williams, Sarah Cahill, violinist Kate Stenberg, ModernMedieval, CSUF Symphony Orchestra, University Singers, and librettist/video artist Quintan Ana Wikswo.
With initial funding for Part I of this project: There Will Come Soft Rains fromNational Endowment for the Arts, New Music USA, Part II: ORATORIO FOR THE EARTH: KAMA-River of Stars was awarded NEA Project Award and residencies for composer Pamela Madsen during 2019-2020: Women’s International Studies Center, Santa Fe, MacDowell Colony, Ucross, Wyoming, American Scandinavian Foundation Award: Royal Danish Academy of Music, Copenhagen.
ORATORIO FOR THE EARTH=KAMA-River of Stars reflects upon the need for Deep Listening in the wilderness, social justice and the global ecology of self-consciousness; resonance of the human body with the earth, and the rivers and stars that connect us. This work focuses on the sound and setting of spoken text, field recordings from the environment, combined with instruments, electronics, video and sung text. The work captures the sonic landscape of the wilderness of the desert southwest, inspired by the vast connecting river ways of the world, informed by research on the utopian visions of Hans Christian Andersen’s concept of science as Poetry’s California, weaving a narrative of concern for human rights, social justice, women, nature and threat of imminent world destruction. Themes are manifested through texts by Rilke, Sarah Teasdale, and Quintan Ana Wikswo, concerning marginalization of indigenous cultures and desecration of women and nature correlated with concerns for the destruction of the environment. Pamela Madsen will complete full orchestra/ choral work for premiere May 9, 2020 and chamber music works for Brightwork newmusic and Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble for premiere in 2020-2021.
ORATORIO FOR THE EARTH: KAMA-River of Stars (c. 50 minutes): for CSUF Symphony Orchestra, University Singers, ModernMedieval, Nicholas Isherwood, Bass-Baritone