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Northern Arts & Culture: A world premiere with the NMU Choirs

Kurt Hauswirth

A conversation with Dr. Erin Colwitz and composer Eric Banks

The Northern Michigan University Choirs will perform on the campus of NMU on Thursday, April 21st, 2022. Dr. Erin Colwitz will lead the choirs in a concert of spring renewal, with guest composer Eric Banks joining the choirs for a world premiere of his work To Be a Stranger.

Composer Eric Banks joins the NMU Choirs for a world premiere of his work To Be a Stranger, a contemporary choral work relating to the issues surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement. The work was originally premiered online with a virtual choir in August of 2020, but this marks its premiere live at an in-person event. To Be a Stranger uses a variety of texts from people such as Dorothy West, John Lewis, and James Baldwin, and was commissioned by The Virtual Choir Consortium.

Eric's work as a composer, conductor, translator, vocalist, linguist, and ethnomusicologist positions him as a modern sound piece for the under-represented voices in the world. He aims to "create choral works that reach far beyond the scope of the established a cappella canon."

NMU Choirs
Northern Michigan University Music Department
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Northern Michigan University Music Department
NMU Choirs

The NMU Choirs Concert takes place Thursday, April 21st, featuring the Arts Chorale and University Choir. Their final performance of the semester starts at 7:30 pm in Reynolds Recital Hall. Masks are required for attendance and admission is free.

For more information, visit the NMU Music Department's website.

Kurt lives in Marquette with his family and can’t imagine living anywhere else. He loves music, games, running, being near water, and a fine cold brew coffee.
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