Rhiannon Giddens: Barefoot Melodist
As Rhiannon Giddens and her band, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, finished their final encore, the Assembly Hall erupted into a standing ovation this past Tuesday. Welcoming both the students and town residents, Giddens took the stage barefoot, singing with a voice that spanned many genres, including country, ballads and Portuguese music.
With the generosity of the Gilbert Music Fund, Giddens was the featured artist in the Gilbert Concert Series this year. Through her personal connection with music instructor Kristofer Johnson, with whom she attended Oberlin College, the evening concert was squeezed in between a performance in Nashville this past Saturday and a Southern tour beginning in North Carolina on Thursday.
“I definitely enjoyed it because she was so lively and had such an incredible voice, stage presence and musical talent.”
The Gilbert Concert Series was first funded by Jane and Clint Gilbert ’47, who were inspired by Exeter’s impressive music program and wanted to help build more opportunities for students to interact with visiting artists. Every year, students and town residents have the special opportunity to listen and watch the performances of prestigious musicians. The performers selected for the Gilbert Concert Series are not only chosen for their acclaimed performances and accomplishments, but also for the passion they bring to the young musicians at Exeter. With these experiences, students are encouraged to achieve the vision of a composer and gain a deeper understanding of music.
As part of the mission of the Gilbert Concert Series, the school wanted to bring internationally recognized performers to the Exeter community.
Music instructor Vanessa Holroyd said, “In the past, the series has focused on Classical music artists and since having the privilege of taking over the management of the series in 2009, I have felt it important to increase the scope of our concerts to include World, Folk, Jazz and other genres of music. I thought that seeing an artist of Rhiannon’s caliber would be incredibly inspiring to everyone, musicians and non-musicians alike,” she said.
Prep Adrian Venzon said, “My favorite part of the performance was her violin playing for sure.” He admired her skill across genres and added, “She has given me a new appreciation for folk and bluegrass music.”
Prep Sophie Faliero agreed with, “I definitely loved the fiddling piece towards the middle. It really brought up my energy and overall, it sounded amazing. I also enjoyed listening to the guy playing the bones. Although it was such a bizarre instrument, it sounded perfect with her style of singing.”
During this year’s performance, Giddens sang a variety of songs, each one holding a different meaning to her.
Venzon said, “I thought the lyrics of the songs she sang were very powerful, and she reinforced the message she was trying to convey by giving background to each song she sang.”
About halfway through, Giddens slowed down the concert for a traditional ballad that deeply resonated with her. She began by introducing the song and shared a story of a tragic incident that occurred in Bangladesh.
“While I was working on this version of the traditional ballad, there was a factory called the ‘Rana Plaza Factory’ in Bangladesh that collapsed. The factory itself was very ill-built and in this factory, there were thousands of Bangladeshi workers making cheap clothes for the West. The factory collapsed, with over a thousand people dying and it just made me really think about the price of what we think as cheap because somebody out there is still paying the price. In this case, people halfway across the world lost their lives because of the desire from the rest of us. So I took this song and rewrote the last verses to represent what happened in Bangladesh,” Giddens said. The song touched the hearts of the audience, as many people swayed and nodded their heads to the rhythm of the music.
In addition to her outstanding singing and harmony with the band, the style of Giddens’ performance also stood out to the audience. “The part that struck me most was her bare feet. I understand the need to feel connected with the ground under you,” Faliero said.
The performance was eye-opening for upper Maya Pierce, who was surprised by the unique blend of styles.
“Although it wasn’t a style that I am familiar with, I definitely enjoyed it because she was so lively and had such an incredible voice, stage presence and musical talent,” she said. “I’m sure we all got to learn more about performing and appreciating art that we normally don’t understand through this amazing experience.”