Voices in words and music

Traveling Exhibition—KSU Commemorates the Holocaust Through Poetry and Performance

Commemoration is a process that involves witness, preservation, interpretation, and performance. This process calls upon human creativity, commitment, emotional connection, and contemporary context. Literature, music, and performance work together to open a window across space and time for generations to connect with one another. 

This ten-panel traveling exhibit and accompanying digital gallery guide highlights the links along the chain of commemoration that connect the past and the present and generation to generation. While the panels focus on the words of writers who witnessed the Holocaust, the gallery guide includes biographies of the writers, sketches by the panel illustrators, information about musical and dramatic pieces adapted from the writers' works, and interviews with composers, lyricists, performers, and producers. It also provides visitors with opportunities to access performance videos and share their perspectives.

Exhibit Supplements

GALLERY GUIDE

Audio Guide

 

Words, Music, Memory Musical Programming

KSU Bailey School of Music and soprano Sheena Ramirez of the James Madison University (JMU) School of Music

Produced in partnership with the KSU Bailey School of Music and soprano Sheena Ramirez of the James Madison University (JMU) School of Music, the exhibit opened on September 19, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. in conjunction with a lecture/performance featuring the Holocaust compositions of Dr. Laurence Sherr and Lori Laitman. View below for a concert flyer and for the program.

CONCERT FLYER PROGRAM

Words, Music, Memory remained on display at the KSU Center through November 9, 2021, when it accompanied a closing concert in memory of Kristallnacht at Morgan Hall at 7:30 p.m. Watch the video below:

Concert Program

On December 5, the exhibit traveled to James Madison University where it accompanied Sheena Ramirez's DMA recital performance. Watch the video of that performance below:

The exhibit was on display at the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts at James Madison University (JMU) through January 28, 2022 when it accompanied an encore performance of Lori Laitman and Laurence Sherr's compositions in conjunction with a day-long residency for composer Lori Laitman sponsored by the Cohen Center for the Humanities. Learn more about JMU's programs for Holocaust Remembrance Week in 2022. 

CONCERT PROGRAM

 

CONVERSATIONS AT THE COHEN CENTER" PODCAST

2023 - 2024 Travel and Performance Schedule

Words, Music, Memory was on display at the Mary Church Terrell Main Library at Oberlin College during October and November, 2023. The Oberlin program culminated with a lecture performance on November 16, 2023, featuring soprano Sheena Ramirez, oboist Courtney Miller, and pianist Daniel Michalak. Curator Adina Langer provided commentary during the performance and also lectured to students about Holocaust commemoration and curating traumatic histories. 
From Oberlin, Words, Music, Memory  traveled to Wake Forest University where it was on display at the Lam Museum of Anthropology from January - March, 2024. A commemorative program featuring soprano Sheena Ramirez, oboist Courtney Miller, pianist Suzanne Polak, and curator Adina Langer took place on February 11, 2024. Laurence Sherr lectured at the Lam Museum of Anthropology. From Wake Forest, the exhibit traveled to Elon University wherre it was on display as part of Elon's Yom Hashoah observances. The exhibition will next appeared at University of North Carolina, Greensboro, with a concert  that took place on Thursday, September 19th, at 7:30 pm in Tew Recital Hall at UNCG.