Kronos Quartet: "Testimony" by Charlton Singleton

Kronos Quartet performs "Testimony," which was written for Fifty for the Future: The Kronos Learning Repertoire.

Charlton Singleton often draws inspiration from the Gullah culture of the American Southeast's Lowcountry region, where he grew up. In addition to his roles as speaker, composer, and arranger, Singleton also performs as part of Ranky Tanky, a group that specializes in jazz-influenced arrangements of traditional Gullah music. Singleton based Testimony on musical practices of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in which his father was a pastor. During his childhood, a cappella Prayer Bands of three or four people had the responsibility of getting the congregation ready for worship. Notes Singleton, “Testimony is written from the Prayer Band experience, and from specific rhythms in African American churches and communities – the ‘Gullah Clap’ (on beats two, two-and, and four) and the ‘Half Clap’ (on beat one only).”

Kronos Quartet:
David Harrington, violin
John Sherba, violin
Hank Dutt, viola
Sunny Yang, cello

This performance of Testimony was filmed October 2, 2020 at Bing Concert Hall, The Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University):
Directed, Photographed and Edited by Frazer Bradshaw
Recording Engineer: Zach Miley
Executive Producers: Elena Park and Chris Lorway
Producer: Kimberly Pross

You can learn to play this piece. FREE scores and parts, among other materials, are soon to be released online: 50ftf.kronosquartet.org

© 2020 Inner Sunset Publishing
℗ 2020 Kronos Performing Arts Association
Commissioned for Fifty for the Future: The Kronos Learning Repertoire

Видео Kronos Quartet: "Testimony" by Charlton Singleton канала Kronos Quartet