Listening Party: Angel Bat Dawid

Blk Metropolis Apocalypse is a musical composition in four movements and based on the book Black Metropolis: A Study of Negro Life in a Northern City by St. Clair Drake and Horace R. Cayton (University of Chicago Press, 2015). The piece will be performed by Angel Bat Dawid (clarinet) and accompanied by a string quartet (two violins, viola, and cello) with members of D-Composed, a Black chamber music collective led by Kori Coleman.

Angel Bat Dawid derives concepts of communal activation from the traditions of the Black church and the idea that art (music, writing, performance) and information (history, academy, scholarship) are a holistic practice for communities of the global majority. And as Blk Metropolis Apocalypse is participatory in nature, attendees will be encouraged to react and respond, partake and contribute to the work. We welcome your highest vibrations.

For questions, reach out to us at [email protected]. Registration is required for attendance.

Angel Bat Dawid is a 2025 USA Fellow in Music. She is a Black American composer, multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, and educator based in Chicago. Known for her dynamic performances, she has composed significant works including Requiem for Jazz and Peace: A Suite for Yoko Ono’s Sky Landing Installation. Her debut album The Oracle (International Anthem, 2019) is an epoch-making work offering a profound exploration of contemporary Black life and is being reissued this summer.

D-Composed is a Black chamber music collective, led by Kori Coleman, that celebrates Black culture and creativity. Led by their mission to uplift and empower society through the music of Black composers, this Chicago-based creative incubator acts as a bridge between the past and present to the future of representation, music-centered experiences, and the communal power of Black composers and their impact. 

About United States Artists: United States Artists plays a pivotal role in America’s cultural ecosystem, advancing the well-being of artists through unrestricted funding and tailored professional services, amplifying artists’ work, and improving conditions that support their essential roles in society.

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