After a drive across the majestic Missouri River into the rolling plains of south central South Dakota, we arrived in Mission, South Dakota - my home! I imagined the challenge before the Dakota Chamber Orchestra and the Porcupine Singers to keep the enery of the Flandreau and Sioux Falls performances at the heights it had reached but there was no question that they reached NEW heights in Rosebud!
Of course, I knew that the audience would be great! With around 200 in attendance at the Sinte Gleska (Seen-tay Gleh-shkah) University multi-purpose center their anticipation and enthusiasm throughout the entire concert was tremendous! I am a little biased of course as so many of my family were in attendance including my senior parents. What a great evening filled with laughter and another incredible response to the vision of the Lakota Music Project. Folks came all the way from Murdo 45 mile away, Valentine, NE about 35 miles away and from throughout many of our communities on the Rosebud Reservation.
The concert opened and flew from there! One of the really neat connections was between the Porcupine Singers and many in the audience with shared memories of pow-wows pat and the relationships that form over the years of sharing music, stories, laughter and sorrows and always a meal! I sensed the audience was proud of the acknowledgment of traditional music styles by the European style musicians. It is an acknowledgment of traditional singers and a centuries old musical style as legitimate music. I think the members of the Dakota Chamber Orchestra are embracing the spiritual nature of the Lakota Music Project and we are all making the vision of this work our own in a way that will grow reach all corners of South Dakota and the entire region!
While folks from my home know and have always been so kind in their encouragement of all the hats I wear here - from elected tribal leader to being active in the faith community to realizing some musical performance dreams - it was great sharing the evening with them. They too felt the spirit of the evening and felt the work of the commissioned pieces Desert Wind and Black Hill Olowan (Oh-loh-wahng) and responded with quick and lengthy standing ovations for both pieces. What a great night this was, I am almost sad that there are only two more performances!
If you can get there we will see you at Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge tonight at 6:00 pm or in Rapid City at the 1st Congregation Church of Christ located at 1200 Clark Street at 2:00 pm. I know it will be great - but nothing beats the home-town audience! Thank you Rosebud for a great night of music, laughter and, as always, a great meal.
Of course, I knew that the audience would be great! With around 200 in attendance at the Sinte Gleska (Seen-tay Gleh-shkah) University multi-purpose center their anticipation and enthusiasm throughout the entire concert was tremendous! I am a little biased of course as so many of my family were in attendance including my senior parents. What a great evening filled with laughter and another incredible response to the vision of the Lakota Music Project. Folks came all the way from Murdo 45 mile away, Valentine, NE about 35 miles away and from throughout many of our communities on the Rosebud Reservation.
The concert opened and flew from there! One of the really neat connections was between the Porcupine Singers and many in the audience with shared memories of pow-wows pat and the relationships that form over the years of sharing music, stories, laughter and sorrows and always a meal! I sensed the audience was proud of the acknowledgment of traditional music styles by the European style musicians. It is an acknowledgment of traditional singers and a centuries old musical style as legitimate music. I think the members of the Dakota Chamber Orchestra are embracing the spiritual nature of the Lakota Music Project and we are all making the vision of this work our own in a way that will grow reach all corners of South Dakota and the entire region!
While folks from my home know and have always been so kind in their encouragement of all the hats I wear here - from elected tribal leader to being active in the faith community to realizing some musical performance dreams - it was great sharing the evening with them. They too felt the spirit of the evening and felt the work of the commissioned pieces Desert Wind and Black Hill Olowan (Oh-loh-wahng) and responded with quick and lengthy standing ovations for both pieces. What a great night this was, I am almost sad that there are only two more performances!
If you can get there we will see you at Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge tonight at 6:00 pm or in Rapid City at the 1st Congregation Church of Christ located at 1200 Clark Street at 2:00 pm. I know it will be great - but nothing beats the home-town audience! Thank you Rosebud for a great night of music, laughter and, as always, a great meal.
By Robert Moore
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