Join us on July 13 for an unforgettable night, featuring the world premiere of Dr. Bill Banfield’s concert work “Testimony of Tone, Tune, and Time” inspired by the writings of Frederick Douglass. With this work, Dr. Banfield is changing the paradigm for classical music, creating sound statues of prophetic figures using not only music, but also narration and imagery. He does this to not only highlight these figures but also create a multi-faceted medium to engage the modern audience for a more immersive experience.
As Dr. Banfield writes, “Douglass’s words in many ways tell us and take us forward, allowing us to leave having feasted on the sustainability of ideas that make us believe again in what we can accomplish, together.” Performed by saxophonist Grace Kelly playing alongside Dr. Johannes Wallmann, professor of jazz piano at UW-Madison, Maestro Andrew Sewell and our orchestra, and accompanied by narrators Dr. Reverend Alex Gee and Katie Parrish, we’re honored to present this world premiere commission at Concerts on the Square.
The Stanleys & Friends
Leotha (Lee) is a retired firefighter / paramedic for the city of Madison and currently works as an Employment Specialist for the Urban League of Greater Madison. Tamera currently serves as the Liaison for Family, Staff & Community Engagement at the Verona Area School District.
Lee & Tamera are very engaged in community activities where they may be seen conducting choirs or providing music as a dynamic duo. (he plays / she sings). The Stanleys have written or arranged music for the Madison Symphony Orchestra and performs their charts each year at the MSO Christmas Concert. They conduct an 80 voiced choir for the MLK Commemoration program each year. Since the pandemic, they have learned the art of video editing releasing a variety of music videos where concert goers could not attend. They also produce a Gospel Carols Concert each year giving traditional carols a Stanley twist. (www.gospelcarols.com) You can also find the Stanley’s each Sunday evening at the Stanley Gospel Café, a live broadcast featuring guests from Madison and the surrounding communities.
Since 1990, Lee has worked with countless schools in Madison and throughout the Midwest as an artist in residence teaching many different genres of music to children. He has written two books of music for children, has composed scores of songs and has been the music director for the Mt. Zion Church in Madison for the last 47 years.
2021 the Stanley’s debuted with a group of friends put together just for the Concerts on the Square. This year, 2 of the songs from “The Stanleys and Friends” will include the Middle High School Choir.
Grace Kelly, saxophone
Kelly is a saxophonist of prodigious talent. She was named nine times consecutively in the Annual Downbeat Magazines Critics Poll "Rising Star Alto Saxophone" from the age of seventeen, making her the youngest sax player ever named to the poll and winning the Critics Poll in 2016. Kelly is also a skilled songwriter and was named the winner of "Song of the Year" for her single "Feels Like Home" in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. She has won multiple ASCAP Composer Awards, Boston Music Awards, and International Songwriting Awards.
Featured by Vanity Fair as a millennial shaking up the jazz world, Grace's state-of-the-art brand of electro jazz-pop and inventive digital content push her to the forefront of the fusion scene, alongside names like Jon Batiste, Jacob Collier, Esperanza Spalding, and Too Many Zooz.
Grace's latest album was inspired by the words of incredible women who embody great courage and resilience, including Maya Angelou's "And Still I Rise," a poem that ignited much musical inspiration. The result of this album is a deeply personal collection of songs with anthemic beats, upbeat grooves, and soulful melodies and lyrics. Grace created this album to help people connect to their inner strength and voice and find the courageous hero within themselves.
Aside from thrilling audiences in concert, Grace's stardom reaches the acclaim of her audiences online. The millennial artist has developed a new paradigm to exhibit her remarkable talent and unparalleled showmanship with the masses, curating an immersive user experience for her fans across multiple social media platforms. Grace's dedication to posting engaging content and offering insight into her daily life has deepened her brand, bringing thousands upon thousands of eager fans into her world and gaining millions of views online, allowing the artist to bridge the gap between virtuosic musician and cultural phenomenon.
For further information about Grace Kelly, visit her website at www.gracekellymusic.com, on Instagram at instagram.com/gkellymusic, on YouTube at www.youtube.com/gracekellymusic, on Facebook at facebook.com/GraceKellymusic, on or Twitter at @gracekellymusic
Patrice Rushen, Guest Composer
Patrice Rushen is an award-winning musician and composer who is also one of the most sought after artists in the music industry. She is a classically trained pianist who originally found success in the 70’s and 80’s with her signature fusion of jazz, pop and R&B. During this era, she composed and recorded the hit song, “Forget Me Nots,” which has been frequently covered and sampled by other artists.
Rushen is also a four-time, Grammy nominee who has composed scores for movies and television. She has been the first female musical director for many of the entertainment industry’s top award shows, which include the Grammy Awards, the Emmy Awards, the People’s Choice Awards, the NAACP Image Awards and HBO’s “Comic Relief V.”
Rushen is the Ambassador of Artistry In Education at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, and is the Chair of the Popular Music Program at USC’s Thornton School of Music. She also spends time working with the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, NARAS “Grammy In The Schools” program, and other organizations dedicated to establishing music education and mentorship programs for underprivileged youth.
CLAUDE CHAMPAGNE | Danse Villageoise (Allegro Champagne)
WILLIAM BANFIELD | Testimony of Tone, Tune and Time, world premiere
CARL ORFF | Carmina Burana, 24. Ave Formosissima, 25. O Fortuna, Middleton High School Choir
PATRICE RUSHEN | Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, I. Power from the Pulpit, III. Freedom is not Free
STANLEY | Songs by Leotha, feat. Mt. Zion Gospel Choir and Middleton High School Choir
STANLEY | Encore
*Program subject to change
