The Oakland Symphony and Chorus in the premiere of Carlos Simon’s Here I Stand, led by Kedrick Armstrong. Photo by Scott Chernis.
In Tuesday’s (2/20) San Francisco Classical Voice, Jeff Rosenfeld writes, “Kedrick Armstrong made a memorable subscription-series debut conducting the Oakland Symphony, its chorus, and Pacific Edge Voices in a thematically and musically intense program on Friday. The centerpiece was the world premiere of ‘Here I Stand,’ an oratorio by composer Carlos Simon and librettist Dan Harder that celebrates the legacy of African American singer, actor, and activist Paul Robeson (1898–1976). Not least due to the convincing portrayal by the evening’s star soloist, bass Morris Robinson, the audience at the Paramount Theatre was able to bear witness to the tribulations Robeson suffered in his outspoken and steadfast commitment to justice and peace…. In the end, Robeson emerges as a Moses figure, and Robinson had impressively prophetic resonance to match…. The audience … was coached before the performance to join in the last scene, a sing-along of ‘I Know I’ve Been Changed.’ It was an emotional highlight … Simon’s music effectively employs brooding and jabbing brass and eloquently drops to sudden silences, leaving the singer-soloist to stark spoken words…. The work is … deserving of widespread performance.” Also on the program were works by Joan Tower and Dmitri Shostakovich.
