When the Caged Bird Sings — Now Available on NAXOS

OUT NOW on NAXOS

I’m pleased to share the release of When the Caged Bird Sings (NAXOS), a large-scale musical ceremony for orchestra, choir, and soloists.

The work weaves opera, gospel, jazz, and classical writing with the Black sacred tradition, centering Black womanhood, community ritual, and collective healing. Inspired in part by the legacy of Maya Angelou, it asks how communities move through adversity toward hope and transcendence.

The recording features an extraordinary group of collaborators, including Rita Coburn, Angela Brown, Christie Dashiell, Issachah Savage, Jubilant Sykes, Cyrus Chestnut, EXIGENCE Vocal Ensemble, the University of Michigan Choirs and Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kenneth Kiesler with chorus master Eugene Rogers. Huge thanks to visual artist Judy Bowman for the spectacular album artwork.

I’m deeply grateful to everyone who carried this work into the world.

🎧 6‑minute highlights reel (NAXOS):https://youtu.be/Pc6eKX4JAa4