The Journey of Harriet Tubman [HL:268960]

This 5-movement, multi-media choral drama honors one of the great heroes of the emancipation era. The journey of those who sacrificed becomes a story we can relive and honor. Dr. Kean's goal was to compose and arrange original music and traditional spirituals in a style that is evocative of the enslaved Africans' frame of mind. The spirituals are accompanied with kalimba (thumb piano) to honor the sub-Saharan African musical tradition of connecting with ancestors and with the marimba to sound like the west African balafon. This is a work that will move an audience to tears. Medium to difficult.

The Journey of Harriet Tubman has generated a much needed discussion of African American enslavement and and cultural appropriation. The composer has dedicated half of his royalties from this work to “The Equal Justice Initiative,” a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society. Please visit https://eji.org/about for more info.