The Washington Chorus Releases The World Premiere Recording Of Damien Geter's 'Cantata For A More Hopeful Tomorrow'

The Washington Chorus has announced the digital release of Damien Geter's Cantata for A More Hopeful Tomorrow. The recording, made virtually due to the pandemic, is available now on iTunes and for streaming on Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, iHeart Radio, Sirius XM, and Pandora.

Influenced by stories of hope and the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 has had on the Black community, The Washington Chorus and Artistic Director Dr. Eugene Rogers commissioned composer Damien Geter and Emmy award-winning filmmaker Bob Berg to produce a short music film that premiered in November 2020. The work features soprano Aundi Marie Moore, cellist Seth Parker Woods, and over 100 singers of The Washington Chorus.

After seeing the devastating effects the virus has had on all communities and witnessing first-hand the racial and social injustices of recent times, it was important to Artistic Director Dr Eugene Rogers and the Chorus that they connect with the BIPOC community with a message of hope. By commissioning composer Damien Geter to create this work, and recording it with the chorus and soloists all doing so virtually from their bedrooms, basements, and kitchens, TWC hope to reflect the creative resilience of the Chorus and the importance of continuing to create, continuing to connect, and continuing to bring people together, even while physically apart

"It was important for The Washington Chorus to step forward with musical space for reflection, healing, and hope amidst the COVID-19 global health pandemic and America's long overdue reckoning with historic racial injustices." says Stephen Beaudoin, TWC Executive Director.

Although this is the first recording led by Rogers who joined TWC shortly before the pandemic forced the organization to cancel live performances, this his isn't the first time the Chorus has published a self-produced work. Their Grammy-award winning recording of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem was recorded live in 1995 and released in 1999.