For Narrator and Chamber Orchestra
Music by D. J. Sparr | Text by Janine Joseph
Richard Antoine White grew up unhoused on the streets of Baltimore, became the first African American to earn a doctorate in music for tuba performance, and is the author of the celebrated memoir I’M POSSIBLE. His story has been featured on CBS Evening News and The Daily Show. The music is composed by D. J. Sparr, a friend since their days together at the Baltimore School for the Arts.
“Imagine the audition room: one chair and a lone music stand on the stage like a pulpit, a blind curtain portioning my church in two. Me, and you. Imagine in the slowed and steadied breath on the long walk to play, no one could hear the hunger growling in the stomach of my childhood.” — from I’M POSSIBLE, text by Janine Joseph, Award winning poet & librettist.
Join the Founding Consortium
Orchestras are invited to join the founding consortium for I’M POSSIBLE receiving priority performances and recognition in the score. Consortium membership is open to orchestras of all sizes.
Designed with education, community engagement, and storytelling at its core, I’M POSSIBLE offers orchestras a powerful platform for connection beyond the concert hall. The work is well-suited for partnerships with schools, libraries, literacy programs, and community organizations, and can anchor residencies and interdisciplinary programming.
- Chamber orchestra instrumentation comparable to Peter and the Wolf; modular structure scalable from 20 to 30 minutes
- Narration options include Richard Antoine White, a guest artist, or a trusted narrator such as a teacher, local celebrity, or broadcaster.
- Instrumentation 1.1.1.1 – 2.1.1.1 – tmp +2 – synth – strings
I’M POSSIBLE for Narrator and Chamber Orchestra gives voice to the orchestra while sharing a universal message of resilience, identity, and hope.
For inquiries, contact Monica J. Felkel, President at Monica Felkel Creative Partners: monica@monicafelkelcreativepartners.com | 917 868 8107