Join chatterbird for the world premiere of Mark Volker’s Body and Soul, After the Plague, a free performance that will premiere virtually on July 29, 2021, at 7 PM Central. The piece will be streamed via chatterbird’s facebook, free of charge, though we hope you’ll consider making a donation in lieu of a ticket purchase, or consider the purchase of a commemorative program booklet featuring artwork from the project. Click this link to learn more.

Based on the medieval text titled "The Body and Soul Debate," the work will highlight the importance of empathy and diversity in humanity’s broader divisions, using the medieval conception of "sin" (self-division) as a transgression against both oneself and the fabric of the human community. It will premiere in Nashville at the Parthenon, and will be produced in collaboration with Dr. Suzanne Edwards, a medieval scholar, and Dr. Christine Rogers, a visual artist.

Two voices will be interwoven with music and film in a framing of a medieval poem, known as “The Body and Soul Debate.” This is a late fourteenth-century poem in which the body and soul of a recently-deceased person debate which is more responsible for leading them astray in life. Ultimately, it is clear that the debate only serves to teach them about one another, as they have a shared fate - and a shared responsibility in it.

Support for this concert has been provided in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Tennessee Arts Commission.

In April 2021, chatterbird will launch a musician-curated Virtual Chamber Series, featuring multiple world premieres – including original works by chatterbird musicians. These bite-sized performances will take place weekly beginning April 30 at noon central. Performances can be viewed via livestream on chatterbird’s Facebook page. Admission is free to the public.

Chatterbird has asked the performing musicians to curate each virtual concert as a healing outlet, giving them the latitude and funding to create performances that focus on themes, subject matter, and emotions experienced in the wake of the pandemic and social unrest.

Each livestream also brings awareness to a specific social cause, spotlighting both the contemporary works as well as a nonprofit organization that works within the addressed social cause. Highlighted causes range from civil rights to gender spectrum education to environmental justice. Featured partners include Nashville Public Library’s Civil Rights Center, Brooklyn Heights Community Garden, Oasis Center, Gender Spectrum, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, Scarritt Bennett Center, and Gideon’s Army.

Performers and curators for the series include:

April 30, 2021: Madeleine Gregor (Dancer), Joshua Dent (composer, cello),
Christin Call/Natascha Greenwalt (Directors)

May 7, 2021: Maeve Brophy (piano)

May 14, 2021: Mark Volker (guitar) and John McMurtery (flute)

May 21, 2021: Rebekah Alexander (soprano), Molly Barth (flute),
Alessandra Volpi (piano), and Jesse Strauss (percussion)

May 28, 2021: Timbre Cierpke (harp), Camille Faulkner (violin), Chris Leidhecker (percussion)

June 4, 2021: Jesse Strauss and Sebastian Buhts (percussion)

June 11, 2021: Stephanie Pruitt Gaines (spoken word) and Maya Stone (bassoon)

June 18, 2021: Emily Bowland (clarinet), with Adebiyi Ojutiku and Marie Shields (spoken word), featuring the words of Jerome Del Pino, Marie Shields (2021 Nashville Youth Poet Laureate), and the music of Dave Ragland

This project is supported by discretionary grant funding from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and an Arts Build Community grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, facilitated by Metro Arts. It is sponsored in part by Rainmaker Irrigation.

In April 2021, chatterbird will launch a musician-curated Virtual Chamber Series, featuring multiple world premieres – including original works by chatterbird musicians. These bite-sized performances will take place weekly beginning April 30 at noon central. Performances can be viewed via livestream on chatterbird’s Facebook page. Admission is free to the public.

Chatterbird has asked the performing musicians to curate each virtual concert as a healing outlet, giving them the latitude and funding to create performances that focus on themes, subject matter, and emotions experienced in the wake of the pandemic and social unrest.

Each livestream also brings awareness to a specific social cause, spotlighting both the contemporary works as well as a nonprofit organization that works within the addressed social cause. Highlighted causes range from civil rights to gender spectrum education to environmental justice. Featured partners include Nashville Public Library’s Civil Rights Center, Brooklyn Heights Community Garden, Oasis Center, Gender Spectrum, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, Scarritt Bennett Center, and Gideon’s Army.

Performers and curators for the series include:

April 30, 2021: Madeleine Gregor (Dancer), Joshua Dent (composer, cello),
Christin Call/Natascha Greenwalt (Directors)

May 7, 2021: Maeve Brophy (piano)

May 14, 2021: Mark Volker (guitar) and John McMurtery (flute)

May 21, 2021: Rebekah Alexander (soprano), Molly Barth (flute),
Alessandra Volpi (piano), and Jesse Strauss (percussion)

May 28, 2021: Timbre Cierpke (harp), Camille Faulkner (violin), Chris Leidhecker (percussion)

June 4, 2021: Jesse Strauss and Sebastian Buhts (percussion)

June 11, 2021: Stephanie Pruitt Gaines (spoken word) and Maya Stone (bassoon)

June 18, 2021: Emily Bowland (clarinet), featuring the words of Jerome Del Pino
and the music of Dave Ragland

This project is supported by discretionary grant funding from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and an Arts Build Community grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, facilitated by Metro Arts. It is sponsored in part by Rainmaker Irrigation.

In April 2021, chatterbird will launch a musician-curated Virtual Chamber Series, featuring multiple world premieres – including original works by chatterbird musicians. These bite-sized performances will take place weekly beginning April 30 at noon central. Performances can be viewed via livestream on chatterbird’s Facebook page. Admission is free to the public.

Chatterbird has asked the performing musicians to curate each virtual concert as a healing outlet, giving them the latitude and funding to create performances that focus on themes, subject matter, and emotions experienced in the wake of the pandemic and social unrest.

Each livestream also brings awareness to a specific social cause, spotlighting both the contemporary works as well as a nonprofit organization that works within the addressed social cause. Highlighted causes range from civil rights to gender spectrum education to environmental justice. Featured partners include Nashville Public Library’s Civil Rights Center, Brooklyn Heights Community Garden, Oasis Center, Gender Spectrum, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, and National Museum of African American Music. 

Performers and curators for the series include:

April 30, 2021: Madeleine Gregor (Dancer), Joshua Dent (composer, cello),
Christin Call/Natascha Greenwalt (Directors)

May 7, 2021: Maeve Brophy (piano)

May 14, 2021: Mark Volker (guitar) and John McMurtery (flute)

May 21, 2021: Rebekah Alexander (soprano), Molly Barth (flute),
Alessandra Volpi (piano), and Jesse Strauss (percussion)

May 28, 2021: Timbre Cierpke (harp), Camille Faulkner (violin), Chris Leidhecker (percussion)

June 4, 2021: Jesse Strauss and Sebastian Buhts (percussion)

June 11, 2021: Stephanie Pruitt Gaines (spoken word) and Maya Stone (bassoon)

June 18, 2021: Emily Bowland (clarinet), featuring the words of Jerome Del Pino
and the music of Dave Ragland

This project is supported by discretionary grant funding from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and an Arts Build Community grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, facilitated by Metro Arts. It is sponsored in part by Rainmaker Irrigation.

In April 2021, chatterbird will launch a musician-curated Virtual Chamber Series, featuring multiple world premieres – including original works by chatterbird musicians. These bite-sized performances will take place weekly beginning April 30 at noon central. Performances can be viewed via livestream on chatterbird’s Facebook page. Admission is free to the public.

Chatterbird has asked the performing musicians to curate each virtual concert as a healing outlet, giving them the latitude and funding to create performances that focus on themes, subject matter, and emotions experienced in the wake of the pandemic and social unrest.

Each livestream also brings awareness to a specific social cause, spotlighting both the contemporary works as well as a nonprofit organization that works within the addressed social cause. Highlighted causes range from civil rights to gender spectrum education to environmental justice. Featured partners include Nashville Public Library’s Civil Rights Center, Brooklyn Heights Community Garden, Oasis Center, Gender Spectrum, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, and National Museum of African American Music. 

Performers and curators for the series include:

April 30, 2021: Madeleine Gregor (Dancer), Joshua Dent (composer, cello),
Christin Call/Natascha Greenwalt (Directors)

May 7, 2021: Maeve Brophy (piano)

May 14, 2021: Mark Volker (guitar) and John McMurtery (flute)

May 21, 2021: Rebekah Alexander (soprano), Molly Barth (flute),
Alessandra Volpi (piano), and Jesse Strauss (percussion)

May 28, 2021: Timbre Cierpke (harp), Camille Faulkner (violin), Chris Leidhecker (percussion)

June 4, 2021: Jesse Strauss and Sebastian Buhts (percussion)

June 11, 2021: Stephanie Pruitt Gaines (spoken word) and Maya Stone (bassoon)

June 18, 2021: Emily Bowland (clarinet), featuring the words of Jerome Del Pino
and the music of Dave Ragland

This project is supported by discretionary grant funding from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and an Arts Build Community grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, facilitated by Metro Arts. It is sponsored in part by Rainmaker Irrigation.

In April 2021, chatterbird will launch a musician-curated Virtual Chamber Series, featuring multiple world premieres – including original works by chatterbird musicians. These bite-sized performances will take place weekly beginning April 30 at noon central. Performances can be viewed via livestream on chatterbird’s Facebook page. Admission is free to the public.

Chatterbird has asked the performing musicians to curate each virtual concert as a healing outlet, giving them the latitude and funding to create performances that focus on themes, subject matter, and emotions experienced in the wake of the pandemic and social unrest.

Each livestream also brings awareness to a specific social cause, spotlighting both the contemporary works as well as a nonprofit organization that works within the addressed social cause. Highlighted causes range from civil rights to gender spectrum education to environmental justice. Featured partners include Nashville Public Library’s Civil Rights Center, Brooklyn Heights Community Garden, Oasis Center, Gender Spectrum, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, and National Museum of African American Music. 

Performers and curators for the series include:

April 30, 2021: Madeleine Gregor (Dancer), Joshua Dent (composer, cello),
Christin Call/Natascha Greenwalt (Directors)

May 7, 2021: Maeve Brophy (piano)

May 14, 2021: Mark Volker (guitar) and John McMurtery (flute)

May 21, 2021: Rebekah Alexander (soprano), Molly Barth (flute),
Alessandra Volpi (piano), and Jesse Strauss (percussion)

May 28, 2021: Timbre Cierpke (harp), Camille Faulkner (violin), Chris Leidhecker (percussion)
June 4, 2021: Jesse Strauss and Sebastian Buhts (percussion)

June 11, 2021: Stephanie Pruitt Gaines (spoken word) and Maya Stone (bassoon)

June 18, 2021: Emily Bowland (clarinet), featuring the words of Jerome Del Pino
and the music of Dave Ragland

This project is supported by discretionary grant funding from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and an Arts Build Community grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, facilitated by Metro Arts. It is sponsored in part by Rainmaker Irrigation.

In April 2021, chatterbird will launch a musician-curated Virtual Chamber Series, featuring multiple world premieres – including original works by chatterbird musicians. These bite-sized performances will take place weekly beginning April 30 at noon central. Performances can be viewed via livestream on chatterbird’s Facebook page. Admission is free to the public.

Chatterbird has asked the performing musicians to curate each virtual concert as a healing outlet, giving them the latitude and funding to create performances that focus on themes, subject matter, and emotions experienced in the wake of the pandemic and social unrest.

Each livestream also brings awareness to a specific social cause, spotlighting both the contemporary works as well as a nonprofit organization that works within the addressed social cause. Highlighted causes range from civil rights to gender spectrum education to environmental justice. Featured partners include Nashville Public Library’s Civil Rights Center, Brooklyn Heights Community Garden, Oasis Center, Gender Spectrum, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, and National Museum of African American Music. 

Performers and curators for the series include:

April 30, 2021: Madeleine Gregor (Dancer), Joshua Dent (composer, cello),
Christin Call/Natascha Greenwalt (Directors)

May 7, 2021: Maeve Brophy (piano)

May 14, 2021: Mark Volker (guitar) and John McMurtery (flute)

May 21, 2021: Rebekah Alexander (soprano), Molly Barth (flute),
Alessandra Volpi (piano), and Jesse Strauss (percussion)

May 28, 2021: Timbre Cierpke (harp), Camille Faulkner (violin), Chris Leidhecker (percussion)
June 4, 2021: Jesse Strauss and Sebastian Buhts (percussion)

June 11, 2021: Stephanie Pruitt Gaines (spoken word) and Maya Stone (bassoon)

June 18, 2021: Emily Bowland (clarinet), featuring the words of Jerome Del Pino
and the music of Dave Ragland

This project is supported by discretionary grant funding from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and an Arts Build Community grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, facilitated by Metro Arts. It is sponsored in part by Rainmaker Irrigation.

In April 2021, chatterbird will launch a musician-curated Virtual Chamber Series, featuring multiple world premieres – including original works by chatterbird musicians. These bite-sized performances will take place weekly beginning April 30 at noon central. Performances can be viewed via livestream on chatterbird’s Facebook page. Admission is free to the public.

Chatterbird has asked the performing musicians to curate each virtual concert as a healing outlet, giving them the latitude and funding to create performances that focus on themes, subject matter, and emotions experienced in the wake of the pandemic and social unrest.

Each livestream also brings awareness to a specific social cause, spotlighting both the contemporary works as well as a nonprofit organization that works within the addressed social cause. Highlighted causes range from civil rights to gender spectrum education to environmental justice. Featured partners include Nashville Public Library’s Civil Rights Center, Brooklyn Heights Community Garden, Oasis Center, Gender Spectrum, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, and National Museum of African American Music. 

Performers and curators for the series include:

April 30, 2021: Madeleine Gregor (Dancer), Joshua Dent (composer, cello),
Christin Call/Natascha Greenwalt (Directors)

May 7, 2021: Maeve Brophy (piano)

May 14, 2021: Mark Volker (guitar) and John McMurtery (flute)

May 21, 2021: Rebekah Alexander (soprano), Molly Barth (flute),
Alessandra Volpi (piano), and Jesse Strauss (percussion)

May 28, 2021: Timbre Cierpke (harp), Camille Faulkner (violin), Chris Leidhecker (percussion)
June 4, 2021: Jesse Strauss and Sebastian Buhts (percussion)

June 11, 2021: Stephanie Pruitt Gaines (spoken word) and Maya Stone (bassoon)

June 18, 2021: Emily Bowland (clarinet), featuring the words of Jerome Del Pino
and the music of Dave Ragland

This project is supported by discretionary grant funding from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and an Arts Build Community grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, facilitated by Metro Arts. It is sponsored in part by Rainmaker Irrigation.

In April 2021, chatterbird will launch a musician-curated Virtual Chamber Series, featuring multiple world premieres – including original works by chatterbird musicians. These bite-sized performances will take place weekly beginning April 30 at noon central. Performances can be viewed via livestream on chatterbird’s Facebook page. Admission is free to the public.

Chatterbird has asked the performing musicians to curate each virtual concert as a healing outlet, giving them the latitude and funding to create performances that focus on themes, subject matter, and emotions experienced in the wake of the pandemic and social unrest.

Each livestream also brings awareness to a specific social cause, spotlighting both the contemporary works as well as a nonprofit organization that works within the addressed social cause. Highlighted causes range from civil rights to gender spectrum education to environmental justice. Featured partners include Nashville Public Library’s Civil Rights Center, Brooklyn Heights Community Garden, Oasis Center, Gender Spectrum, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, and National Museum of African American Music. 

Performers and curators for the series include:

April 30, 2021: Madeleine Gregor (Dancer), Joshua Dent (composer, cello),
Christin Call/Natascha Greenwalt (Directors)

May 7, 2021: Maeve Brophy (piano)

May 14, 2021: Mark Volker (guitar) and John McMurtery (flute)

May 21, 2021: Rebekah Alexander (soprano), Molly Barth (flute),
Alessandra Volpi (piano), and Jesse Strauss (percussion)

May 28, 2021: Timbre Cierpke (harp), Camille Faulkner (violin), Chris Leidhecker (percussion)
June 4, 2021: Jesse Strauss and Sebastian Buhts (percussion)

June 11, 2021: Stephanie Pruitt Gaines (spoken word) and Maya Stone (bassoon)

June 18, 2021: Emily Bowland (clarinet), featuring the words of Jerome Del Pino
and the music of Dave Ragland

This project is supported by discretionary grant funding from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and an Arts Build Community grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, facilitated by Metro Arts. It is sponsored in part by Rainmaker Irrigation.

TO SEE THE WORLD PREMIERE VIDEO OF THIS COMMISSION, CLICK HERE.

chatterbird presents the virtual world premiere of Mahakala Oratorio, by composer Leila Adu. Join us for this free event as chatterbird presents this one-of-a-kind video project, featuring contributions from interactive media artist Aaron Sherwood, along with the talents of Videographer Lauren Balthrop and Recording Engineer Kevin Edlin.

Mahakala Oratorio will feature 14 chatterbird musicians, led by conductor Joe Lee, along with the vocal talents of Rebekah Alexander and Leila Adu.

Following the world premiere, chatterbird will host a virtual Q&A panel with Adu, chatterbird musicians, and others involved in the recording process. The Q&A will be facilitated by Colleen Phelps, the Host of “Classically Speaking” on Nashville Public Radio.

Mahakala Oratorio’s inspiration draws directly from the Buddhist deity of the same name. In her work, Leila Adu uses ancient texts describing Mahakala as a tool to empower listeners to consider the idea of radical compassion in this era of social, political, and environmental extremism. The music itself reflects Leila's genre-mixing style, which draws on the traditional music of New Zealand; her informal training in punk, indie, and hip-hop as well as freely improvised music in the African-American free jazz tradition; and formal training for chamber ensemble and orchestra.

Register HERE for the post-concert Q&A (7:40 PM Central): https://bit.ly/3a3velH

This project is supported in part by New Music USA, Tennessee Arts Commission, Metro Arts, Puffin Foundation West, LTD., and MediaTHE Foundation.