Dave's Blog

I attended DaCapo Chamber Choir’s concert “Following the Moonroad.”

Here’s the program:

• Past life melodies — Sarah Hopkins
• Lamentatio — Leonard Enns*
• Tabula Rasa — Don Macdonald
• Peace — Carlyle Sharpe
• Vient le jour — Robert Ingari*
• Following the Moonroad — Christine Donkin*
  • The Moon is a Stone that Shines
  • Flight of the Fugitive Slave
  • The Gracious Exchange
  • Flight of the Fugitive Slave — Coda
  • I am here
  • Mangata
• Ubi Caritas — Paul Mealor

This was the world premiere of “Following the Moonroad” and the composer was in attendance. DaCapo commissioned Christine Donkin to write this piece, and she commissioned 3 poets to write the lyrics:

• Connie Braun
• George Elliott Clarke
• Lozan Yamolky

These poets have refugee experience themselves or in a previous generation of their family. Leonard Enns, the choir’s director, says this in the program: “Donkin has created a wholly compelling, provocative, and deeply satisfying work, a composition that challenges any assumed ‘neutrality of art’ and speaks boldly and profoundly to our present situation as a human family.”

It was a special experience to hear this extremely talented choir sing this astonishing piece of music. The 3 poets read their poetry before the choir sang — this also added to the experience.

The guest cellist was Miriam Stewart-Kroker, who played on the pieces marked with *. The Enns piece was cello only, and the rest were with choir.

I previously discussed their concert “White Lights in Darkness.”