WORLD PREMIERE: Composer Vince di Mura, left, and poet Yusef Komunyakaa collaborated on “Oh God…Beautiful Machine,” debuting at Trenton’s Patriots Theater at the War Memorial on Saturday, October 25.
On Saturday, October 25 at 7:30 p.m., the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey (CPNJ) presents the world premiere of Oh God…Beautiful Machine, a monumental symphonic jazz work which wrestles with the conundrum of loving the earth in a time of climate change. The collaboration, at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton, features text composed by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa and music composed by Princeton University Composer-in-Residence Vince di Mura.
“At the heart of this composition is Yusef Komunyakaa’s poetic vision — a reflection on environmental peril, resilience, and reverence for life on Earth,” said CPNJ Executive Director Jill Aguayo. “Yusef and Vince are longstanding collaborators, and Vince’s composition is equally compelling. It challenges traditional musical boundaries through his blending of the improvisational spirit of jazz with the structured grandeur of symphonic music,” says Aguayo.
“This is not didactic; it is not intended to be politically divisive,” said Komunyakaa. “We want to ask questions and let the individual wrestle with it.”
Combining a full orchestra, jazz ensemble, traditional Chinese instrumentalists, and a women’s chorus, Oh God…Beautiful Machine is a genre-defying musical odyssey spanning 10 movements and nearly 90 minutes. Featuring lyrics in multiple languages and influences from jazz, blues, samba, gospel, and folk traditions from around the world, this ambitious work bridges cultural and musical landscapes in a profound meditation on the environment, gratitude, and the human experience.
Each movement pays homage to visionaries such as Paul Robeson, Herbie Hancock, and Carlos Santana, and explores styles ranging from Native American and Afro-Caribbean influences to the swinging rhythms of Bossa Nova and the sounds of Mississippi Gospel.
The text for Oh God…Beautiful Machine was commissioned by the Lawrence M. Hilton Foundation, which is also a supporter of the performance.
“The title is a recognition, an exhale, and a blessing,” said di Mura. “Oh God…Beautiful Machine is a love letter to the earth and all those who live on and in her.”
Komunyakaa said that the work came out of conversations with his friend, the late Larry Hilton, who “asked me to celebrate what was central to my being. Growing up in Louisiana, I would go out into the vegetation and receive, in a way, the surprises that nature had for me. It was a beckoning to observe and learn about nature.”
“This piece is unlike anything else,” said di Mura. “It’s an immersive experience that invites the audience into a soundscape of both urgency and beauty. It’s a conversation between cultures, histories, and musical traditions — a celebration of what we have and a call to cherish it.”
The evening will begin with a festival-style event starting at 6 p.m. with a pre-concert performance, visual works by local artists, vendors and a lecture by the composer starting at 6:45 p.m. The concert will be followed by a VIP reception open to Capital Philharmonic season subscribers, advertisers and sponsors.
For tickets, visit capitalphilharmonic.org.