Members of the League of Women Voters Bowling Green gathered at the final concert of the 43rd Annual Bowling Green New Music Festival at BGSU to hear guest composer Stacy Garrop’s “The Battle for the Ballot.”
Written to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, the piece is described by the composer as a concerto for narrator and orchestra. Myra Merritt of the BGSU music faculty served as narrator with the BG Philharmonia conducted by Emily Freeman Brown. She read quotations from suffragists who battled to pass the 19th Amendment in 2020. Images from the period and of those quoted were projected over the stage during the performance.
“The Battle for the Ballot” concluded the concert that, with one exception, featured the work of women composers.
The Garrop’s piece was preceded by Joan Tower’s “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman no. 1.”
The orchestra also perform Jessie Montgomery’s “Starburst” and the one piece by a male composer Adolphus Hailstork’s “Monuments,” which featured trombone soloist Brittany Lasch, of the BGSU music faculty.
In the first half of the concert, the Collegiate Chorale sang “sing to us, cedars,” composed by BGSU graduate Leah Tracy, who was inspired to compose the piece by her visits to Wintergarden Park.
[RELATED: BGSU grad Leah Tracy draws inspiration from Wintergarden Park for prize-winning composition]
The chorale, conducted by Richard Schnipke, also performed music of Chen Yi, Garrop, and Reena Esmail.
The League members wore white sashes reading “Votes for Women.” Garrop donned a sash as did Merritt.
