Digital Diaspora Events
Monday, April 20
The Digital Diaspora project, supported by the Arts Collaborative Mini Grant program, explores the intersection of technology and live performance through a new piece for the UGA Wind Symphony in collaboration with composer Dr. Marie A. Douglas.
Project participants
Jack Eaddy, Music
Alvin Crews, Enterprise Information Technology Services
Marie Douglas, composer
Dr. Marie A. Douglas discussion and Q&A
5:30 PM
Music room 412
Dr. Douglas will speak about her new composition and provide perspectives on music education and performance of new band music.
UGA Wind Symphony
7:30 PM
UGA Performing Arts Center
Co-hosted by the UGA Collegiate National Association for Music Education and the Arts Collaborative.
Marie A. Douglas, a composer hailing from Atlanta, has garnered widespread acclaim for her exceptional talent in seamlessly blending genres and textures within her captivating concert stage pieces. Her music serves as a profound reflection of her inner-city upbringing and her diverse musical experiences, infusing a genuine and authentic essence into each composition. Douglas draws significant inspiration from the African Diaspora, effectively integrating elements of hip-hop and western art music idioms to create compositions that resonate with a wide range of audiences. With her works captivating concert-goers across the United States and Canada, Marie’s artistry extends beyond the stage as she collaborates with various ensembles and lends her creative prowess to the world of film music, as well as hip hop and r&b.
Soul Suite No. 2
Soul Suite No. 2: A Modular Suite is a multi-movement work for winds that integrates electronic and visual media with audience participation to expand the traditional concert experience. Drawing on a wide spectrum of Afro-diasporic musical styles, each movement offers a distinct sound world: Licks n Hits delivers a high-energy, funk-inspired brass and percussion fanfare rooted in the composer’s childhood memories and the influence of bands like Earth, Wind & Fire; Sweet Potato Pie blends acoustic ensemble with electronic accompaniment in a dynamic, roller-coaster-like form full of shifting textures and climactic moments; 10972018Z explores nuanced, groove-driven textures that evolve from intimate, smoky sonorities into the bold, visceral energy of HBCU marching band traditions; and For What Shall It Profit a Man…? reimagines the spiritual Give Me Jesus for woodwinds and percussion, building from delicate arpeggios to a hypnotic, reflective climax. Together, the movements create an immersive, community-centered work that celebrates memory, culture, and sonic innovation.
