Recital | “Oh Freedom!”

“What does it truly mean to be free?” Join us as Ian Michael and Dror Baitel explore this question musically, with a Black-lens perspective, during America 250.

This 50-minute recital unfolds with a journey of hope, struggle, and the ongoing pursuit of liberation. The powerful sequence of works includes “Deep River,” embodying fervent hope; Langston Hughes’ poignant prayers for those grappling with hardship in “Gather Up”; the realities of Malcolm Little from the opera X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X; and the courageous journey of a Black queer man seeking self-acceptance, beautifully rendered in "Boundaries" from A Strange Loop.

Each piece weaves together stories of resilience and resistance. Together they ask us to consider freedom not as a fixed destination, but as a continuous process shaped by individual experiences and collective struggles.

Please join us for this free performance celebrating Black identity, creativity, and the ever-evolving nature of freedom.

More at crhc.iusb.edu.