Americans learn the Pledge of Allegiance as kids, reciting it day after day in public school and seldom giving it meaningful thought.
But what would we hear if we listened—really listened—to the pledge? What would it mean to reimagine it through the unique histories and perspectives of the musicians performing it and the place in which it is performed? Can experiencing sound in an immersive, unexpected, and challenging way help an audience understand art, the U.S., and the world anew?
An ensemble put together by Los Angeles-based music collective wasteLAnd visit Zócalo wielding woodwinds, brass, strings, percussion, coins, a match, a police whistle, and more. Standing beside, among, and above the Zócalo audience, they will perform American Ledger no. 1, an experimental visual and aural retelling of the nation’s creation by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, artist, and 2023 MacArthur fellow Raven Chacon. We’ll also be hosting a pre-event performance of Chacon’s Echo Contest in the Herald Examiner Building’s historic lobby, and a post-event reception to celebrate the closing of Zócalo’s 2023 event season.
