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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane Symphony’s ‘Masterworks 5’ celebrates victory over oppression, African rhythms and words of Martin Luther King Jr.

Kitara Johnson is silhouetted in 2017 as she sings a rendition of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” before a march following the not guilty verdict for Edward Bushnell who fatally shot William Poindexter in July 2015.  (TYLER TJOMSLAND/The Spokesman-Review)
From staff reports

The Spokane Symphony will celebrate African American history and music during “Masterworks 5: Daybreak of Freedom.”

The two performances of this Masterworks program will include the Spokane Symphony Chorale as well as guest speaker Kitara Johnson-Jones, one of the nation’s leaders in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives.

The show will begin with a tale of victory over oppression in Beethoven’s “Fidelio: Overture, Op.72c.”

Beethoven will be followed by Joseph Schwantner’s “New Morning for the World (Daybreak of Freedom).” The piece features some of the most impactful words from speeches by Martin Luther King Jr.

The show will conclude with William Dawson’s 1934 masterpiece, “Negro Folk Symphony.” The three-movement symphony shaped by traditional rhythms and melodies was initially met with roaring applause and high praise, but would soon fade from popularity. In recent years, Dawson’s riveting single symphony has been brought back to the stage, where it deserves to be.

The symphony and company will perform 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox. Tickets starting at $24 can be purchased through the Fox Theater website.