Chicago is poised to experience something unique at the Chicago Sinfonietta's annual MLK Tribute Concert. On January 20 at the Auditorium Theatre and January 19 at Wentz Hall in Naperville, the concert will feature a genre-defying collaboration between flutist-composers Nathalie Joachim and Allison Loggins-Hull, collectively known as Flutronix. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, their four-movement, electro-acoustic piece "Black Being" will be a focal point, interweaving orchestral music with electronic elements and narrative to convey the complexities of Black womanhood.
The piece, co-commissioned by the Arts Club of Chicago and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, is not just a feast for the ears, but also a visual spectacle, featuring dynamic lighting meant to augment the auditory experience. Joachim, whose multifaceted career includes roles as a Grammy-nominated artist and Princeton University professor, promises an immersive event. "I really do hope that people come ready to be moved, ready to be changed and, hopefully, to be seen as well," Joachim told the Sun-Times. As artists who've not only graced the classical stages but also popular ones – Loggins-Hull has performed with Lizzo at high-profile events like the Grammy Awards and the 2023 Met Gala – the pair are reshaping the classical genre's boundaries.
Musical narratives are at the heart of this MLK tribute, with a story arc spanning from the trans-Atlantic slave trade to the contemporary Black female experience. This narrative, central to "Black Being," features the poetic work of North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green, adding a rich literary dimension to the performance. In a statement obtained by Dilla on YouTube, the show embraces "strength, resilience, and beauty," honoring not just Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy but also the enduring spirit of those following in his footsteps.
For Mei-Ann Chen, music director and conductor of the Chicago Sinfonietta, the annual MLK Tribute Concert stands as not merely a popular program, but also a platform for meaningful introspection and progress. "It gives me great honor and pleasure to seek out programs that will make us ponder: What can each one of us do to move the needle forward?" Chen remarked in the Sun-Times. As Flutronix prepares to captivate their Chicago audience with "Black Being," it's clear that Chen, Joachim, and Loggins-Hull, see such performances as more than just concerts – they're catalysts for conversation and, perhaps change.
