Freedom's Song was inspired by the tragic events in our nation following our July 4th celebration of freedom, when African American men were murdered by police officers followed by police officers also being murdered. The goal of Freedom's Song is to honor and memorialize lives that were taken away, and to inspire and strengthen our resolve to "never stop singing" and fighting for the freedom here and in the world, that belongs to "one and all." The debut of the Freedom's Song video was on Human Rights Day (December 10th). How did all this come into being? Composer David Kerr, who is also the founder of Integrity House residential substance abuse treatment program in Newark, New Jersey, was so inspired by my poem Freedom's Song: Days of Sorrow, (he read it on my Facebook page), that he composed (without even telling me), a choral orchestration for the poem and titled it, Freedom's Song. As if this were not amazing enough, Freedom's Song was then brought to glorious life by narrator Jacqueline Anabwani, and the Seton Hall University Chorus and MidAtlantic Opera Orchestra under the baton of famed conductor Jason Tramm at the Ocean Grove Great Auditorium on October 2, 2016. James Manno of JAMMAN Studios was audio producer, and Quinton Tramm was video producer. Freedom's Song will have its debut performance in May 2017 at a World Peace Concert in New Jersey. All this energy and love from a witnessing poem and the caring hearts of all the artists!
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AuthorAs a child, Diane Kaufman wrote in her grade school composition that when she grew up she wanted to be a "medical doctor or a medical drawer." Her passion as expressed in poetry, story, and art seeks to inspire positive transformation, to help "humanize" our life experiences, to increase our connection with each other, and bring awareness of Arts Medicine as valuable in promoting and nurturing health, healing and well being. Archives
April 2018
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