Raven Chacon: American Ledger, No. 3

Raven Chacon, a Diné composer and sound artist, conjures sonic landscapes that pulse with history, resistance, and a responsiveness to place. His work—whether as a soloist, collaborator, or with the collective Postcommodity—weaves noise, chamber music, and Indigenous storytelling into something visceral and unshakable. A Pulitzer Prize winner and mentor to young Native composers, Chacon’s music hums with the echoes of the land and the tension of the present, challenging ears and expectations alike. Originally commissioned by the Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago, who co-present this performance, Chacon’s American Ledger No. 3 is scored for two women’s choirs and dedicated to journalist, activist, and Chicagoan Ida B. Wells. The piece is a powerful addition to the artist’s ongoing American Ledger series and is staged in Chicago for the first time.

This program is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

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