20. Beam Ensemble at Crotona Park
Created by Sean Desiree, Beam Ensemble is an outdoor orchestra that combines the artist’s understanding of timber frame construction with music production. It connects its viewers more deeply with the buried history of African American composers. As a result of discriminatory practices that denied African Americans access to revenue, venues and equipment needed to be successful in the field, most African American classical composers have been largely forgotten. As a result, Beam Ensemble intends to celebrate the work of composers such as Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still and Florence Price.
Each of the four distinct sections of the orchestra will be based on a different instrument originating from the African diaspora. Included instruments will be the kora, percussion, an amadlina and a tongue drum. Commissioned by More Art through the Engaging Artists Residency program, Beam Ensemble will give orchestral music back to the people by providing a resource to foster their compositions. It will be on display from through October 26, 2021, at Crotona Park in the Bronx.
