Besufekad Tadesse is a musician and author. Originally from Fort Washington, MD, Besu has been a regular performer for several years, having performed in both local and community venues as well as large concert halls in Beijing, Shanghai, and Washington, DC. In 2022, he self-published his debut novel, "The Ghosts of Poplar Valley", a supernatural horror novella that highlights the atrocities of America's past as a cautionary tale to those in our present.
Saxophonist Brent Birckhead is an award-winning artist whose aesthetic is an intersectional amalgam of traditional and popular styles. Unbound by genre, Birckhead’s approach to woodwind artistry is driven by his compulsion for creative risk and deep respect for legacy. His place in the continuum of a storied lineage begins with his surname, Birckhead, and extends to his extensive musical education and work ethic as a visionary approach to life as a rising leader.
Saxophonist Brent Birckhead is an award-winning artist, whose aesthetic is an intersectional amalgam of traditional and popular styles. Unbound by genre, Birckhead’s approach to woodwind artistry is driven by his compulsion for creative risk and deep respect for legacy. His place in the continuum of a storied lineage begins with his surname, Birckhead, and extends to his extensive musical education and work ethic as a visionary approach to life as a rising leader.
Fantasia on Lobe den Herren. J.S Bach arr. James and Stan Pethel
This arrangement by James and Stan Pethel was originally created for piano and organ, but when the artists of Ensemble Lafayette heard it performed with harp and organ, they immediately tracked down the out of print score and further refined it for their ensemble.
Medium: music
Year: 2023
Details: 5:08
All Things Bright and Beautiful arr. Peter Mathews
Peter Mathews created this wonderful arrangement for harp and organs a gift for Ensemble Lafayette on the tune of Royal Oak.
Year: 2023
Details: 2:29
Wilson Joel, popularly referred to as “Music Magnate” is a Nigerian-born, United States of America based self-taught multi-genre music producer, music director, music composer, audio engineer, song writer, voice and talent coach, multi-instrumentalist and media entrepreneur, who has made tremendous impact within the music and production space, first by his innovation and caliber of artists and creatives whose works he has given direction and prominence.
Quinn Bedingfield fell in love with music at the early age of nine and four years later he began producing beats of all genres and in particular, Hip Hop. He started creating beats for other Artists and has served scores of Artists by creating beats they enjoy. In 2020, when the Pandemic hit, Aurah, an "Old School" Hip Hop Artist was born. Aurah writes his own music and is very passionate about creating the appropriate beats. He channels his ADHD into his music and, like many musicians, is a perfectionist.
Mourning Discourse
Mourning Discourse
Defines the everyday blackness in America since the enslaved landed upon these shores. Although the media has been drawing attention to the senseless murders of unarmed black men and boys somewhere in this narrative the dehumanizing and patriarchal acts enforced upon black women can become seated in the back of our minds as a moment.
Breonna's murderers still haven't been held accountable. The murders of countless other black women killed by no knock warrants, or police shootings unresolved.
Neither have the countless rapes and stereotypical pressures placed upon our bodies forced us to create an added layer to our (black women) skin giving us no permission to be anything less than strong.
In this mourning it is my hope that through performative discourse layers of historical suppression are peeled back and the audience analyzes the silent gaze that watches the black female body negotiate such structural violence.
Mourning Discourse is a collaboration of performance, sound, and installation art. The performance/dance is choreographed by Kay Harris (a former Alvin Ailey dancer) and her daughter Nya Harris (Kennedy Center dancer). Both sound and installation are created by artist Nikki Brooks.
Defines the everyday blackness in America since the enslaved landed upon these shores. Although the media has been drawing attention to the senseless murders of unarmed black men and boys somewhere in this narrative the dehumanizing and patriarchal acts enforced upon black women can become seated in the back of our minds as a moment.
Breonna's murderers still haven't been held accountable. The murders of countless other black women killed by no knock warrants, or police shootings unresolved.
Neither have the countless rapes and stereotypical pressures placed upon our bodies forced us to create an added layer to our (black women) skin giving us no permission to be anything less than strong.
In this mourning it is my hope that through performative discourse layers of historical suppression are peeled back and the audience analyzes the silent gaze that watches the black female body negotiate such structural violence.
Mourning Discourse is a collaboration of performance, sound, and installation art. The performance/dance is choreographed by Kay Harris (a former Alvin Ailey dancer) and her daughter Nya Harris (Kennedy Center dancer). Both sound and installation are created by artist Nikki Brooks.
Medium: video
Year: 2021
Right now!
The music is composed by Patrick Riley. This video is a look at how "modern art" has influenced fashion design.
Medium: video
Year: 2023
Details: 03:02