Adolphus Hailstork’s “A Knee on the Neck” Reaffirms The Washington Chorus’ Commitment to Lifting Up Creators of Color

Choristers in rehearsal for the world premiere of Adolphus Hailstork’s ”A Knee on The Neck”

As the second anniversary of the murder of George Floyd approaches and the United States continues to grapple with a long overdue national reckoning on racial justice, the two senior leaders of The Washington Chorus took a moment to reflect on the organization’s commitment to lifting up creators of color, ensuring a radically inclusive welcome for its audience, and to share context on the Chorus’ upcoming collaboration on a major new work by Black American composer Adolphus Hailstork.

Written in response to the tragic murder of Floyd and other unarmed Black men and women from Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin to Breonna Taylor and beyond – and dedicated as “a small requiem for Black men and women” – Hailstork’s “A Knee on The Neck” takes its title from the horrifying image seen around the world: a White police officer kneeling on the neck of Mr. Floyd with his full body weight, leaving Floyd unable to breathe even while he and onlookers cried out for help.

This senseless violence, while horrifying in every way, has served as yet another inflection point in the national reckoning on racial justice. And in the time that has followed, nonprofit organizations of every type have struggled to make sense and take meaningful action through the lens of our missions. Also in this time, many Black and other creators of color have made new works of art to reflect on this national reckoning, to amplify calls for justice, and to celebrate Black stories, excellence, and creativity.

In the winter and spring of 2021, The Washington Chorus began conversations with representatives of Adolphus Hailstork, long considered one of the pre-eminent choral composers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, as well as with colleagues from the National Philharmonic, a terrific Maryland-based professional orchestra in residence at The Music Center at Strathmore, about the possibility of collaborating to premiere this new work.

Composed by Hailstork in collaboration with celebrated poet Herbert Woodward Martin (professor emeritus from the University of Dayton), “A Knee on the Neck” is designed as a requiem cantata – a work of about 30 minutes duration for large chorus, orchestra, and vocal soloists, reflecting on the African-American experience in the wake of Floyd’s death.  The piece was completed in the summer of 2021, at which time TWC and the National Philharmonic agreed to collaborate, with support from singers at Howard University, on the world premiere performances in March of 2022.

Hailstork’s” A Knee on the Neck” receives two world premiere performances by the National Philharmonic under conductor Piotr Gajewski in collaboration with The Washington Chorus and National Philharmonic Chorale with singers from Howard University; TWC Artistic Director Eugene Rogers is the chorus master; soloists are soprano Janai Brugger, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, tenor Norman Shankle, and baritone Kenneth Overton. The performances are Saturday, March 26, 8:00 pm at the Music Center at Strathmore and Monday, March 28, 7:30 pm at Capital One Concert Hall. In addition to the Hailstork, these forces will also perform the W.A. Mozart Requiem.

Reflecting on the importance and also the challenge of bringing such a musically and socially impactful new work to life, TWC Artistic Director Eugene Rogers had this to say:

What an honor it is to work with these historic choral organizations on two critically important works. George Floyd’s story is an American story that challenges us all to think about our shared humanity and the significance of using one’s voice to effect social change.

Herbert Martin’s poignant poetry, coupled with Adolphus Hailstork’s eclectic and expansive compositional vocabulary, creates a compelling commentary on the African American experience. For me, the pairing of Hailstork’s “A Knee on The Neck” with Mozart’s Requiem offers us the opportunity to honor those we have lost, to reflect upon the legacies they leave behind, and to perhaps re-examine our own life’s journey moving forward.  

Preparing these two works has been a transformative experience for the singers, and we are eager to share them with the community. In particular, I am deeply moved by Herbert’s final words which speak to the power of music to transcend all our pain and division– “Together, we shall abide, so sing a new song, a worthy song [together]!”

To that, TWC Executive Director Stephen Beaudoin added this:

“Our collective responsibility to lift up and celebrate stories and sounds from creators of color began well before 2020, and it had better continue well into the future. TWC’s commitment in this space is unshakeable. We promise you the joy of discovery and a commitment to inclusive excellence at every TWC chorus experience, whether live or online.

We hope this new work not only speaks for itself, but speaks to you, our audience. March 26 and 28, 2022 will be unforgettable live music experiences, and I look forward to seeing you there.”

Washington Chorus Artistic Director Dr. Eugene Rogers prepares for a rehearsal for the world premiere of “A Knee on The Neck.”