Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Experience Nkeiru Okoye’s 'When the Caged Bird Sings', a large-scale contemporary concert work that follows the journey of Cerise, whose story weaves together personal and collective aspects of Black experience. Through movements such as The Beatitudes and Sometimes Life Gets Ugly, the piece explores adversity, resilience, and transformation with a musical language rooted in classical and operatic traditions and enriched with African American folk-music influences and minimalist processes.

This recording features award-winning director Rita Coburn and an impressive cast of soloists, including soprano Angela Brown, mezzo-soprano Christie Dashiell, tenor Issachah Savage, and baritone Jubilant Sykes. They are accompanied by pianist Cyrus Chestnut, the vocal ensemble EXIGENCE, and the University of Michigan Chorus and Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Kenneth Kiesler and chorus master Eugene Rogers.

Pre-order your copy now: Naxos.lnk.to/8559953ID

#Naxos #NkeiruOkoye #Whenthecagedbirdsings #RitaCoburn #AngelaBrown #ChristieDashiell #IssachahSavage #JubilantSykes #CyrusChestnut #EXIGENCE #UniversityofMichiganChorusandSymphonyOrchestra #KennethKiesler

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