Projects tagged "music"

This Historic Marian Anderson Performance Made Her an Icon of the Civil Rights Movement
Practitioner:
Marian Anderson
Date:
Apr 9 1939
Marian Anderson, the legendary African American contralto, sang at the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday in 1939 after she was refused a performance at Washington’s Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution because she was black. Over 75,000 people attended the performance, which was broadcast live on the radio and arranged in part by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt with the support of her husband, President Franklin D.
RAPtivism
Practitioner:
Aisha Fukushima
Date:
Sep 19 2013
AISHA FUKUSHIMA is a Singer, Speaker, Educator, and ‘RAPtivist’ (rap activist). Fukushima founded RAPtivism (Rap Activism), a hip hop project spanning 20 countries and four continents, amplifying universal efforts for freedom and justice.
Colorful pianos in the summer
Practitioner:
Sing For Hope
Date:
Jun 5 2017
Sing for Hope is bringing its renowned Sing for Hope Pianos back to the streets of New York City this summer. From June 5-25, as a celebration of the work Sing for Hope does in communities year-round, 60 Sing for Hope Pianos will be placed in parks and public spaces in high traffic locations across all five boroughs in New York for anyone and everyone to play.
Jay Allan Zimmerman
Practitioner:
Jay Allan Zimmerman
Date:
May 26 2015
Zimmerman a composer who uses art, dance, tech, and even robots in his shows. You might call this interdisciplinary. Wagner called it total art, or gesamtkunstwerk.
"Glory" Performance at the Academy Awards
Practitioner:
John Legend, Common
Date:
Feb 22 2015
See below for a link to the performance of the song at the Academy Awards. From Salon: How Common and John Legend’s performance of “Glory” fired up Oscar night’s idling empathy machine by Sonia Saraiya
Egypt’s Hip Hop Revolution Continues: New Videos From The Narcicyst & MC Amin
Practitioner:
The Narcycist
Date:
Feb 29 2012
A year after the revolution, Egypt is still in conflict, still grasping for a catalyst to solidify its society and bring unity and peace to the people. Violence, poverty and unemployement are still rampant, and the voiceless still seek a voice. As was the case in 2011, Hip Hop has reemerged as a voice for the Egyptian youth for 2012, with new challenges and frustrations countering their struggle for freedom and equality.
The Crossroads Project
Practitioner:
Robert Davies, Fry St. Quartet
Date:
Apr 3 2012
This month’s blast of arctic air may have roused climate-change skeptics. But the composer Laura Kaminsky and the painter Rebecca Allan were unfazed. Holed up in their apartment in Riverdale in the Bronx on one of the coldest days in decades, these longtime artist-activists were doing what came naturally: fighting the planet’s warming.
Sambhaji Bhagat: Voice of Dissent
Practitioner:
Sambhaji Bhagat
Date:
Apr 23 1975
The Voice of Dissent “I am not here to entertain you; I am here to disturb you. Those who are here for entertainment, I request them, please go.” It’s unusual, if not rare, for a live performer to begin by saying that to the audience. The compact of patronage that’s implicit is what Sambhaji Bhagat smashes right at the onset of his performance. For him, this art is a quest for the truth that will liberate the people he represents.
How Bali punks Navicula took on the palm oil industry
Practitioner:
Navicula
Date:
Apr 27 2014
In Indonesia, a loud and politically committed generation of punk bands are shaking big business – and getting results
The Pigeon Palace
Practitioner:
DJ Jamie Guzzie and the community
Date:
May 6 2015
Real estate agents and investors with plans to visit an open house in San Francisco Tuesday were greeted with a somewhat unexpected scene – a motley crew of Mission activists and neighborhood characters holding signs and singing, “If you buy this house, you will have bad karma.” A small brass band played along.
Riot grrrl MANIFESTO
Practitioner:
Riot grrrl bands
Date:
Apr 27 1991
Riot grrrl is a feminist punk rock movement started in the early 90's, particularly in Washington DC, Olympia, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. Bands that follow the movement include Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, Jack Off Jill, Bratmobile, Adickdid, The Butchies, Heavens to Betsy, Huggy Bear, Bangs, and Calamity Jane, amongst others.
The Pianists of Ukraine
Practitioner:
Artists
Date:
Feb 10 2014
In Kiev, clashes between protestors and police have persisted since December. Blood has been shed, and the political stability of Ukraine remains uncertain. During late January and early February, the opposition began to play music (from pianos) in front of riot police. These artists modus operandi has been to serenade protestors and police toward peaceful consensuses.
Björk and Environmental Activism
Practitioner:
Björk
Date:
Apr 5 2015
"In a world where artists do themselves no financial favours by voicing critical political sentiments, Björk’s iconoclastic position and perspective is almost unique. Despite having made zero concessions to commerciality in her music, she has sold millions of albums, and remains as vital today as she was a quarter of a century ago.
USAID's Cuba hip-hop project
Practitioner:
USAID
Date:
Dec 11 2014
HAVANA (AP) — A U.S. agency's secret infiltration of Cuba's underground hip-hop scene to spark a youth movement against the government was "reckless" and "stupid," Sen. Patrick Leahy said Thursday after The Associated Press revealed the operation.
Funk Lessons
Practitioner:
Adrian Piper
Date:
May 6 1982
Adrian Piper's "Funk Lessons" (1982-84) was a series of performances and collaborative events in which the artist taught white participants about black funk music, its culture, and its history, aiming to deconstruct stereotypical ideas about Black culture.
Occupy This Album: 99 Songs for the 99 Percent
Practitioner:
Various Artists
Date:
May 14 2012
By Josh Harkinson, Mother Jones. Various Artists Occupy This Album Music for Occupy
Mental Health Care Revolution: FEEL IT!
Practitioner:
The Babyfacedassassin, Are You A Messenger Movie Project
Date:
Feb 1 2013
Artistic Activist, Charlotte Claire, is at the forefront of initiating revolutionary change in mental health care. Her project, The Babyfacedassassin, is dedicated to improving mental health care and inspiring people to care for their mental health.
Julius Eastman: Gay Guerilla
Practitioner:
Julius Eastman
Date:
Jun 4 1980
Julius Eastman was a Black and Queer avant garde, minimalist composer and performer from the 1960s-1980s. He used his platform to advocate for the rights and livelihoods of Black and queer people through his unique musical aesthetic and the controversial naming of his pieces, including "Gay Guerrilla," "Evil N-word" and "Crazy N-Word"
Blurring Boundaries Between Art and Activism in Cuba
Practitioner:
Tania Bruguera
Date:
Jan 23 2015
MEXICO CITY — Of the half-dozen pieces that form Tania Bruguera’s series “Tatlin’s Whisper,” the one that the Cuban government silenced may have resounded most.
China's Underground Hiphop
Practitioner:
In3er
Date:
Jan 1 2008
China's underground hiphop became an art movement since early 2000s. With characteristics of self-expression, localization and social criticism, Chinese hip hop music quickly gained popularity among students and working-class Chinese. Some notable music groups from Beijing include Yin Ts'ang (隐藏) and In3er (阴三儿).
Las Vulpes: Me gusta ser una zorra (I like being a whore)
Practitioner:
Las Vulpes
Date:
Apr 16 1983
Las Vulpes was the first spanish punk rock band formed only by women. It was founded in Baracaldo (Vizcaya, Basque Country) in the summer of 1982, as a result of the guitarist´s desire on creating an all women punk band. After a few changes, the final formation consisted on: Loles Vázquez (guitar), Mamen Rodrigo (voice), Begoña Astigarraga (bass) and Lupe Vázquez (drums), all between 17 and 22 years of age.
I Have Never Eaten These Tiny Grapes by Zuoxiao Zuzhou: 'China's Leonard Cohen' Calls Out Political Corruption
Practitioner:
Zuxiao Zuzhou, Ai Weiwei
Date:
Jan 1 2013
Zuoxiao Zuzhou is a Chinese singer whose accented, croaky voice is hardly ever in tune. But for his fans he's the voice of a generation — one of the very few voices who dare to speak out. After a collaboration, Cowboy Junkies member Michael Timmins called him "China's Leonard Cohen."
Orquesta Solfónica de Madrid
Practitioner:
Orquesta Solfónica de Madrid
Date:
May 15 2011
Orquesta Solfónica de Madrid The Orquesta Solfónica de Madrid (Solphonic Orchestra of Madrid) is a self-organized orchestra that was formed in the context of the social movement 15M and that has gained popularity for playing classical music in demonstrations and acts of social protest.
Project Catalyst
Practitioner:
Artel Great
Date:
Apr 9 2014
Project Catalyst specializes in designing culturally rich entertainment experiences that re-imagine the empowering possibilities of cinema and media from a multicultural perspective. Project Catalyst exemplifies the efficacy and essential value of art and cinema at the intersections of social justice and the modern technologies of everyday life.
Multi-Story-Rite of Spring in a Car Park
Practitioner:
Multi-Storey
Date:
Jul 23 2011
On July 23rd 2011 a newly formed organization Multi-Story performed Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring in a multi-story car park in Peckham Rye London. In doing so it completely subverted the entrenched traditions of the performance of classical music. The organization used student musicians and did not charge admission.

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