UC grant-funded musical work 'Our House is on Fire' premieres on Oct. 7

The project seeks to draw attention to climate change, specifically highlighting the voices of young people experiencing concern about their futures in a world with an unstable and unpredictable climate. The dedication of the work says, “Inspired by Greta Thunberg, dedicated to those of her generation and those who will follow.”

Our House is on Fire is a collaboration between Ankrum and Elizabeth Avery, an associate professor of music in vocal coaching at the University of Oklahoma. The premiere concert will take place at the University of Oklahoma School of Music and will be simulcast in CCM’s Watson Recital Hall. Registration is required to attend the in-person viewing at CCM, or audiences can watch the University of Oklahoma's simulcast online.

“It was conceived as a way to make music with my collaborative and research partner, Dr. Elizabeth Avery, during COVID-19. We wanted to create something that could be performed during the pandemic, but also something conceptually unique that used technology in a new way. This also ties into sustainability and climate, as there will be no need for us to fly across the country to create something meaningful,” Ankrum says.

Composer Lisa Neher wrote the cornerstone piece, No One Saves the Earth from Us But Us, which uses poetry by Felicia Zamora and Craig Santos Perez. The group plans to present it at a variety of conferences. Ankrum says that the art song repertoire has surprisingly few works that address climate change, so the project will be one of the first of its kind.“

“No One Saves the Earth from Us But Us may be the first of its kind, not only in terms of the source of the textual material being used within the music — an interweaving of scientific facts with poetry and prose — but also in how it will be performed, with the pianist triggering the vocal elements during the performance itself,” Ankrum says in the grant proposal for the project.

The concert also features the world premiere of Ioannis Andriotis’s Earth Elements for piano, vocals, electric guitar, percussion and live electronics, commissioned by Avery and tenor Joel Burcham.