Nkeiru Okoye - When the Caged Bird Sings (Kenneth Kiesler)

Information

Composer: Nkeiru Okoye

• When the Caged Bird Sings, Pt. 1 "Gather Together in My Name"
• When the Caged Bird Sings, Pt. 2 "Now Sheba Sings the Song"
• When the Caged Bird Sings, Pt. 3 "And Still I Rise"
• When the Caged Bird Sings, Pt. 4 "I Shall Not Be Moved"
• When the Caged Bird Sings, Pt. 5 "A Song Flung up to Heaven"

Rita Coburn; Angela Brown; Christie Dashiell

Issachah Savage; Jubilant Sykes; Cyrus Chestnut

EXIGENCE

University of Michigan Chamber Choir, Orpheus Singers & University Choir

University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra

Kenneth Kiesler, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: Naxos

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Nkeiru Okoye’s When the Caged Bird Sings is a large-scale contemporary concert work that follows Cerise, a character whose story reflects both personal and collective dimensions of Black experience. The piece, scored for vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra, combines classical and operatic traditions with African American folk influences and minimalist techniques. Through movements such as The Beatitudes and Sometimes Life Gets Ugly, it explores themes of adversity, resilience, and transformation, blending elements of oratorio, opera, and communal expression to create a powerful, emotionally resonant narrative inspired in part by the life and writings of Maya Angelou.

Nkeiru Okoye (b. 1972) is an acclaimed composer and lyricist known for her evocative, genre-blending music, recognized by honors including a 2021 Guggenheim Fellowship and The American Prize in vocal chamber music. Her works have been commissioned and performed by major orchestras, opera companies, and soloists, and she has written libretti for several operatic projects. Okoye’s compositions integrate diverse musical styles, creating a distinctive voice, and have been recorded on multiple labels. In addition to her composing career, she is a dedicated educator and mentor, holding teaching positions and advisory roles at prestigious institutions and organizations, including the American Opera Project and Composers Now.

Kenneth Kiesler, GRAMMY Award nominee and 2024 American Prize National Arts Award winner, has conducted over 100 orchestras worldwide and is renowned for his work in opera and symphonic repertoire. As music director of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, he performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center and was named Conductor Laureate for life. Kiesler has premiered numerous works, founded the MORE initiative for equity in orchestral programming, and recorded acclaimed albums including Milhaud’s L’Orestie d’Eschyle and Johnson’s De Organizer and The Dreamy Kid. Trained by prominent maestros, he directs leading conducting programs at the University of Michigan and the Conductors Retreat at Medomak.