The Athens Hip Hop Harmonic will release a new video across all Hodgson School of Music social media channels on Wednesday, 2.2.22. Local rapper Kxng Blanco teamed up with composition faculty Peter Van Zandt Lane to create the piece performed by the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble.
"Getting to co-create a piece of music with Kxng Blanco and the students in Contemporary Chamber Ensemble was so rewarding. We all got dropped into a world where, despite having plenty of common ground in the music we grew up listening to, we have different approaches to our process and craft. All of that space between how a hip-hop track gets produced, and how a classical ensemble prepares a piece– that's where the excitement in the collaboration is for me. It challenged us to write, think, and perform differently. And I think it made all of us better musicians." - Peter Van Zandt Lane
The Athens Hip Hop Harmonic explores issues and experiences of racism, inclusion, equity and social justice through music. A series of performances will be featured in community venues such as public parks, schools, the East Athens Community Center, the 40 Watt Club and local churches.