HMC Blog

CONCERT REVIEW

November 16, 2025

Journey: Slavery to Freedom – A World Premiere Worth the Drive

This afternoon, I ventured out for what turned into one of the most meaningful musical experiences of my fall season: the Macomb Symphony Orchestra’s world-premiere performance of Journey: Slavery to Freedom by Norah Duncan IV, presented at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts.

As someone who normally protects Sunday afternoons religiously, it takes something special to draw me out for an over-hour drive. This concert was more than worth it.

A Remarkable Program in Just Over an Hour

The full performance time ran just over an hour — lean, purposeful, and beautifully assembled. The first half featured Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Noveletten, followed by Carlos Simons’ Angels in Heaven (I Know I Been Changed), sung with deep warmth and presence.

A delightful surprise in the Simons: the score includes a moment where the audience joins in by repeating a sung phrase during part of the refrain. The conductor had us rehearse our entrance before the concert began — and it was pretty cool to feel the entire hall lean in and participate.

But it was the second half — Duncan’s Journey: Slavery to Freedom — that became the heart of the afternoon.

A Premiere of Emotional Weight and Beauty

Duncan’s new work was moving, piercing, and stunningly crafted — a choral journey that traces both the suffering and the indomitable hope of an enslaved people. The sequence of spirituals, each arranged with masterful emotional pacing, built toward a finale that was nothing short of electrifying.

A special treat: the composer himself was present. Before the performance, he spoke briefly about the origins of the work and the depth of the stories behind it. And at the end, during the curtain calls, he was brought back onstage to receive a roaring, rousing ovation from an audience of roughly 300 people. A well-earned moment.

Soloists and Choirs That Rose to the Occasion

The afternoon showcased three exceptional soloists:

- Amber Rogers, soprano — radiant, flexible, deeply expressive

- Thornetta Davis, alto — a legend in Detroit blues, bringing earthy authority and power

- Theodore Jones, baritone — commanding, warm, effortless in tone

The combined Oakland Choral Society and Detroit Choral Society delivered a rich, blended sound — impressive given the mostly amateur singer base. And I must add a personal note: three singers very dear to me were on that stage:

- Charlotte Darr, Founder of the Dexter Community Chorale and current Assistant Director of the Oakland Choral Society

- Two fellow members (of Charlotte) of First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham

All three voices were clearly identifiable amid the 30+ singers — and as a fellow member of that Birmingham choir, hearing them shine in this context was especially meaningful.

A Call to Get Out and Experience Live Art

This concert was a vivid reminder that world-class artistry is happening all around us — in our communities, on our college campuses, and in halls like this one in Macomb County.

If you haven’t gone to a concert lately, take this as a loving nudge:

Get out every weekend, if you can, and find something live.

The music being made in our region deserves to be heard.

A superb afternoon. A powerful premiere. And a program I won’t soon forget.