AFRO PUNK BALLET
An Afrofuturistic Opera-Ballet
Music, Libretto & Lyrics by Scott Patterson
Story by Scott Patterson, Eric T. Styles and Preston Andrew Patterson

Performed by Scott Patterson & Astronaut Symphony

DESCRIPTION
Afro Punk Ballet is an Afrofuturistic opera-ballet. Set years into the future, the story delves into the world of two sisters unable to agree on how to handle the catastrophic consequences of a decision made by their late father.
 
Levi, a brilliant military scientist with a unique spiritual knowledge of space and time creates a second sun. The unprecedented devastation of his sun brings the nation’s inhabitants near extinction. Levi’s unwillingness to face the realities of his creation, leaves his eldest daughter and successor, Corfaszia, to restore order to the land. Jakub, the younger of the two daughters, with a deep connection to the spirit world, is forced into exile.
 
Afro Punk Ballet is an exploration of the crossroads between African spirituality, mathematics, and physics, poetically weaving “time and space” within the movement and music. Inspired by the experience of spiritual possession in the black southern gospel tradition and similar experiences within the Afro Punk Movement, this piece utilizes a soundscape that encompasses the styles of punk music, 20th century French music, and southern gospel music. With contemporary ballet’s use of abstraction, the world of Afro Punk Ballet is futuristic and mythical. By using the grandeur of opera and ballet, this piece strives to tell an epic story that challenges popular notions of heroism, morality and futurism. 
 
Astronaut Symphony, a small contemporary ensemble, creates a lush, expansive soundscape. The instrumentation of the ensemble consists of: piano, Fender Rhodes, beatbox, cello, flugelhorn, mellophone, trombone, and electric bass. 
 

PERFORMANCES
Single Carrot Theater (Residency)
Work-in-progress performance of Act I
Baltimore, MD
July 14,  2018

The Peale*
Work-in-progress performance of  Act I
Baltimore, MD
October 4, 5 & 6 , 2018
*The performances were supported by T. Rowe Price Foundation and Artist/District.

CAAPA Opera Composer's Showcase
Excepts of Act I
The Clarice Smith
College Park, MD
October 28, 2018

NEXT STEPS
The remaining acts of Afro Punk Ballet are currently being written. The goal is to premiere Afro Punk Ballet in 2020. To get from here to there means applying for residencies to workshop the piece, grants to fund the development and production of the work, doing crowdsourcing campaigns, etc. In addition, the Afro House Concert Series will be used to workshop the music and librettto.

EBON KOJO: THE LAST TRIBE
A Sci-Fi Tone Poem
Story, Music and Lyrics by Scott Patterson

Performed by Scott Patterson & Astronaut Symphony

DESCRIPTION
What if a man struggling against being mechanical, could not accept his son as anything but a machine? Sent from a dying earth, General Kojo and Ra-7 have been ordered to “recolor” the distant and barren planet Beta-5. Upon their arrival to Beta-5, Ebon and Ra are immediately confronted with unprecedented realities that transform them both.
                                                          
Ebon Kojo: The Last Tribe, a sci-fi tone poem written by Scott Patterson, utilizes the incomparable talents of Afro House’s Astronaut Symphony to tell a fresh story. Throughout the work members of the Astronaut Symphony morph in and out of mediums and genres, boldly taking on the roles of musician, singer, dancer, and actor.
 
The music of Sun Ra and his film Space is the Place, Christina De Middel’s photobook Afronauts and Frances Bodomo’s film of the same name inspired Patterson to imagine his own futuristic world inundated with sound. In this world, sound and music bend the laws of physics, becoming instruments of creation and destruction.
 
The Last Tribe challenges popular notions of heroism, morality, beauty and the role of art in society. Through sound design, film and equations of spirit and sound, Patterson weaves together a story of space exploration, environmentalism, father/son relationships and social greed.
 
PERFORMANCES
NextLOOK (Residency)                                   
Work-in-progress performance      
Joe’s Movement Emporium                                     
Mt. Rainer, MD                       
December 9, 2016   
 
WPFW Live @ 5
Washington, DC                          
December 8, 2016                 
 
Single Carrot Theatre (Residency)
Work-in-progress performance             
Baltimore, MD                                
June 12, 2016                                                                          
 
Charm City Fringe Festival
St. Mark’s
Baltimore, MD
November 12-15, 2015
 
Mondo Festo 10-minute Play Festival
EMP Collective
Baltimore, MD
August 21-22, 2015

NEXT STEPS
Ebon Kojo: The Last Tribe is part of a trilogy that includes Afro Punk Ballet. It is the first story in the trilogy. The work done thus far on Afro Punk Ballet has greatly informed the direction Ebon Kojo: The Last Tribe will go in, as work on completing it continues.

AFRO HOUSE CONCERT SERIES
Co-creators: Scott Patterson and Alisha Patterson
Composer, Music Director & Performer: Scott Patterson

DESCRIPTION
The Baltimore-based Afro House Concert Series is a celebration of the city’s extraordinary maker scene. The series features composer and pianist Scott Patterson on piano, Afro House ensembles (including the Astronaut Symphony), special guests, and local food, beverage and tech makers.
 
Located in the Northeast Baltimore neighborhood of Hamilton-Lauraville, every other month Afro House’s co-founders, Alisha Patterson and Scott Patterson open their home and invite people to join them in creating Disruptive. Music. Culture. The series serves as a laboratory for the food, beverage, tech and music makers involved. Experimentation is the rule instead of the exception. Thus, new ideas are explored in a safe and intimate setting.
 
The proximity inherent in these gatherings creates a unique shared experience, one in which all the senses are engaged. There are no barriers between the concert goers and the makers. As a result, genuine connections are made because of the organic, communal nature of the series.
 
CONCERTS
November 2017:  Scott Patterson (piano) and Max Bent (beatbox)

January 2018: Scott Patterson (piano), Max Bent (beatbox), and Larry Melton (bass)

March 2018: Scott Patterson (piano) , Max Bent (beatbox), Corey Emerson (bass, horn), Angeli Ferrette (voice), Jarrod Lee (voice), Simone Brown (voice)

May 2018: Scott Patterson (piano), Max Bent (beatboax), Corey Emerson (bass), Angeli Ferrette (voice), Pamela Simonson (voice), Shannon Steed (voice)

September 2018: Scott Patterson (piano), Corey Emerson (upright bass), Ronald Patterson (upright bass) and Robin Rhodes (upright bass)

NEXT STEPS
The Afro House Concert Series will contnue in 2019. Musically, the series has been used to build the Astronaut Symphony, an ensemble that appears in both Ebon Kojo: The Last Tribe and Afro Punk Ballet. It has also been used to workshop the music from Afro Punk Ballet and Scott Patterson's compositions for solo piano and other ensembles.

CAMILLE A. BROWN & DANCERS
Scott Patterson, Composer, Collaborator & Performer
 

DESCRIPTION
Since 2012 Patterson has collaborated with Camille A. Brown and toured with Camille A. Brown & Dancers. He is contributing composer of the Bessie Award winning Mr. TOL E. RAncE and Brown’s critically acclaimed work, BLACK GIRL: Linguistic Play and ink. Camille A. Brown is a four-time Princess Grace Award winner, a Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellow, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award winner, Guggenheim Fellowship recipient, and TED Fellow, among others.
 
Mr. TOL E. RAncE, BLACK GIRL: Linguistic Play and ink make up the dance company’s trilogy about culture, race and identity. Scott Patterson’s compositions for each work have been performed for audiences at numerous venues, such as, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Belfast Festival at Queen’s, White Bird, and The Joyce Theater.
 
NEXT STEPS
In 2019, Scott Patterson will continue to collaborate with Camille A. Brown, as well perform with the Camille A. Brown & Dancers.

OTHER LIVE PEFORMANCES
Forum Theater Concert
Composer, Music Director & Performer: Scott Patterson
 

DESCRIPTION
During the 2013 run of Dan Dietz’s Clementine in the Lower 9 Scott Patterson performed in concert at the Forum Theater in Silver Spring, MD. He also served as the music director and performed in the role of Chorus during the run of Clementine in the Lower 9. The incredible set, designed by Baker Artist Award recipient, Lisi Stoessel, served a backdrop for the concert.
 
For the concert, Scott Patterson was joined by Eric T. Styles (voice), Preston Andrew Patterson (dance/piano), and Greg Lathan (voice). They performed original compositions composed by Scott Patterson for piano and voice.

100 Year Symposium
Composer, Music Director & Performer: Scott Patterson
 

DESCRIPTION
In 2018 Scott Patterson received the Creative Baltimore Fund Project Support Grant to hold 100 Year Symposiums. 100 Year Symposium aims to serve neighborhoods in Northeast Baltimore through a unique experience that involves a futuristic opera and a robust discourse in homes/community gathering places about what 100 years into the future would look like.
 
In partnership with Belair-Edison Neighborhood, Inc. (BENI), Astronaut Symphony, a contemporary ensemble led by pianist and composer, Scott Patterson, will perform excerpts of the opera-ballet, Afro Punk Ballet. Set years into the future, Afro Punk Ballet delves into the world of two sisters unable to agree on how to handle the catastrophic consequences of a decision made by their late father, Levi, a brilliant military scientist. With a unique spiritual knowledge of space and time, Levi creates a second sun. The unprecedented devastation of his sun brings the nation’s inhabitants near extinction.
 
Through facilitated civil conversation, neighbors will engage in a meaningful discussion about what it means to be a steward of the future, in the intimate and familiar setting of a home/community gathering place. Thus, lifting up and closely examining existing conversations being held in their neighborhood about the future of their community. The story and music of Afro Punk Ballet will serve as an entry point and source of inspiration to delve into areas yet to be explored by the participants.
 
The 100 Year Symposium will serve the neighborhoods that make up Belair-Edison and Hamilton-Lauraville. Both Belair Edison and Hamilton-Lauraville are Healthy Neighborhoods and Main Street communities.
 
The symposiums will be recorded and made available online (e.g. BENI’s website, social media platforms, etc.). A summary of the conversation will be captured by the facilitator and shared with BENI and the participants, with an emphasis on how to include elements of the conversation held during the 100 Year Symposiums in the work being done by the community.
 
NEXT STEPS
A home or community gathering place is being secured for the 100 Year Symposiums that will be held in March 2019 and April 2019 and additional partnerships are being formed.