Photos by Kia Caldwell. Recognition for Revelry , nominated for best contemporary classical composition, is nice, Coleman says, but the moment was sweeter because she was surrounded by her pupils. We were able to turn that into a learning moment. In , the New York Youth Symphony made Grammy history when they won best orchestral performance with their album Works by Florence Price, Jessie Montgomery, and Valerie Coleman , the first youth orchestra ever to do so.
The album also brought the first Grammy recognition to three Black, female classical composers. The nominations are an acknowledgment of her commitment to pieces with strong narratives, historical echoes, and sonic influences from outside the traditional classical canon.
Echoes of jazz and Kentucky bluegrass, as well as gospel and contemporary music, can be heard in her compositions. I find it really exciting that the Grammy Association is holding ground and advocating for new music and the works of contemporary composers.
In May , Decoda included Revelry on their self-titled debut album. Coleman says Decoda wanted Revelry to be the focal piece of their Carnegie concert. The piece is divided into movements focusing on the word in different contexts. The first, a lugubrious number evoking the woozy sway of a Cab Calloway tune, explores the dark side of jubilationβthe party at 6 am, when the house is trashed and a harsh sun is on the rise.
Do I walk this road? Do I run that way? I wanted to bring in crashes of bombs, with the piano crashing down, and really strong articulations, where you might hear little calls of patriotic triumph, but done in a more sarcastic way.
