An Evocative Exploration of the Mystical and the Royal

November 4, 2022 – Sarasota

On Sunday, November 27, Key Chorale, violinist Daniel Jordan, sitarist Kanada Narahari, and The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company will take you on an unforgettable journey of the senses with Mystics & Kings. 

Works by James Whitbourn and Jake Runestad incorporate texts of luminaries and mystics laced with Indian soundscapes, invoking musical settings which are radiant, peaceful and luminous. Black composer Margaret Bonds’ rarely heard 1954 cantata The Ballad of the Brown King, sets texts by Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes in styles of classical, jazz, gospel and calypso to tell the story of the journey to Bethlehem through the eyes of Balthazar, the dark-skinned king.  

The Ballad of the Brown King was one of their most significant collaborations. It was first performed in 1954 in a shorter version with only piano accompaniment. Later, inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, Bonds requested poetry from Hughes for two new movements, expanded the Ballad’s instrumentation to full orchestra, and dedicated the work to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was televised December 11, 1960, for a CBS special “Christmas U.S.A.” 

The Ballad of the Brown King is characterized by call-and-response textures, jazz harmonies, blues, gospel styles, calypso rhythms, and syncopated gestures. In this way, Bonds affirms Black identity, and its place within classical music. “There so many styles within this charming work,” said Maestro Caulkins. “It lends itself to dance just beautifully. Arcadian Broad’s imaginative choreography really draws you in and the combination of the music and dance is just stunning.” 

The program will open with an enchanting pas de deux choreographed by Gemma Bonds. They will dance to a unique work by Jake Runestad who sets the words of 14^th century Sufi-mystic Lala. Sing Wearing the Sky will be performed by the sopranos and altos along with violinist Daniel Jordan, percussion and piano. 

Key Chorale will feature Kanada Narahari, a very gifted musician, to play not only the tanpura, but also the sitar. Both he and the violist Rachel Halvorson will be placed on the house right side of the stage to incorporate the musicians into the dance. Luminosity, by James Whitbourn, will be choreographed by Lindsay Fischer, Assistant Education Director for The Sarasota Ballet. This evocative work blends mystical elements with the distinctive sounds of India.  

“What I love most about this program is that we get to hear instruments we don’t often hear in the concert hall, and we get to be exposed to elements of Indian classical music that many of us have had little experience; and we get to hear an enchanting work by a Black female composer many of us have never heard,” said Maestro Joseph Caulkins. “Music to me is about exploration and discovery. This program is truly a feast for the senses, combining this incredible music with the beauty of the human body. We are grateful for this annual collaboration with The Sarasota Ballet and are so looking forward to working with these amazing dancers, talented choreographers, incredible musicians, and of course the most important part, 110+ voices of Key Chorale.”  

The performance will take place:  

Sunday, November 27, 4:00 PM at the Sarasota Opera House  

Tickets are $35-$45. For tickets, go to keychorale.org or call the box office at 941-552-8768.