Spotlight Composer: Daniel Bernard Roumain

Daniel Bernard Roumain is a man on a mission – though his enormous creative energy and gift for self-expression can make it seem like he is a man on many missions at once.

The UNCSA Composition Department delved into Roumain's music this year, breaking up into three groups, with each group assigned to study a different piece.  Our high school composers studied "Hip Hop Dances and Prayers" for unaccompanied violin. Our first and second-year college students investigated "String Quartet No. 5 “Rosa Parks." And our juniors, seniors and grad students studied "Dancers, Dreamers and Presidents" for orchestra.

"Right now, your life is probably full of questions...take joy in YOU answering them."

All of us gathered recently to watch Roumain's powerful opera "We Shall Not Be Moved" in the Philadelphia Opera production imaginatively directed by Bill T. Jones. With a libretto by Marc Bamuthi Joseph, "We Shall Not Be Moved" tells the story of a group of teenagers hiding out in an abandoned, condemned building in Philadelphia, a house that is haunted by its own violent history. Combining spoken word poetry, choreography, video projection and multiple singing styles, the opera takes the audience on a journey of despair, hope and mystery.

The following day, our three groups gave presentations on the music they had studied, leading to lively discussion.This is music that engages directly with cultural themes of our moment, so there was no lack of immediacy in our discussions.

Our studies culminated in a Skype visit with the composer himself. Welcoming us (virtually) into his Brooklyn home, Daniel proved a gracious and energetic host. We began by having him briefly outline his musical background, then the students were given the opportunity to ask him questions about his work directly. His answers were philosophical, creative and thought-provoking. His mind was all over the place: one thought would lead to the next in ways that were at once startling and deeply satisfying. He took the time to connect with each student individually, asking about their work and suggesting ways to personalize their artistic approaches.

And that’s where what can seem like many missions converge into one: his wide-ranging ideas all come back to connecting with the moment, connecting with the people he is with and his surroundings, pulling all that energy together into vivid artistic expression.

Daniel Bernard Roumain Skyping with the UNCSA Composition Department