The Talk from Safe Harbor by Resonance Ensemble

The Talk: Instructions For Black Children When They Interact With The Police
Music and text by Damien Geter


Commission Story

Intensive Care, performed on June 9, 2019, was a performance reflecting on all whose early days of parenthood are different than envisioned—with babies born early, babies sick, babies lost. These often unseen stories are also infused with hope, resilience, and transformational love.

“When planning the repertoire for Intensive Care, I was struck by the absence of perspectives from parents of color, especially Black parents, in the choral canon,” said Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon. “Artistic Advisor Damien Geter and I explored works by composers we admire, and kept thinking about the conversations Black parents have about safety and encounters with police. Damien said, ‘We need a piece for that. I’ll write it.’”



Program Note

There comes a time in every child’s life when they will have “the talk” with a trusted adult. That talk is usually centered around topics relating to sexual maturation – the birds and the bees.

However, in the life of a black child, there’s an additional talk that needs to happen; what to do if they are pulled over or have an encounter with the police. It boils down to four basic principles with the fourth being the ultimate goal:

Pull over. Don’t run. Keep calm.
Keep your hands where they can see them.
Be polite. *Save your rage.
Get home safely.

The instructions and the music are succinct. A narrator speaks instruction before the singer begins each section. Starting in C minor, the piece wanders through a myriad of tonal centers until it arrives “home” in the end in C major.

— Damien Geter

*The phrase “save your rage” is credited to Jasmine Love.

In its fifteenth season, Resonance Ensemble, a professional vocal ensemble based in Portland, Oregon, creates and performs powerful programs that promote meaningful social change.