A clip from the premiere of "Cudjo", a piece inspired by the life of the African American hero Cudjo Banquante! Bury resiliency Water with legacy Dig deep Dig deep and grow them Flowers from your homeland blooming in your new land Composer: Courtney Bryan Librettist: Damian Norfleet Performers: Courtney Bryan (piano), Damian Norfeet (voice), Josh Stewart (voice) April 27th, 2025 The Newark Museum of Art

Damian Norfleet performing his transcription of Julius Eastman's "Prelude to The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc" followed by the Rebekah Heller Bassoon Ensemble performing Heller's arrangement of "The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc" for ten bassoons. Fridman Gallery New York City June 8, 2024

These excerpts are from a performance that was presented live in Roulette's theater in Downtown Brooklyn. Roulette’s mission is to support artists creating new and adventurous art in all disciplines by providing them with a venue and resources to realize their creative visions and to build an audience interested in the evolution of experimental art. These recent works by George Lewis are part of the composer’s ongoing exploration of what decolonization might sound like. Performed by International Contemporary Ensemble Apis (2019): Baritone, Clarinet/Bass Clarinet in B-Flat, Trumpet in C, Trombone Creative Construction SetTM (2015): Open instrumentation

This is an improvisation performed on Ensemble Pi's 2020 Reparations Now! concert. The piece, a tribute to Elijah McClain, reimagines his final words on earth as his first words in heaven.

This is a preview of composer/pianist Courtney Bryan’s Blessed (Online debut 2021, Cinematic debut 2022). The piece is a multi-layered exploration of darkness and light, hope and love, weaving together musical recordings and film footage from New Orleans, New York, and Philadelphia (shot by filmmaker/artist Tiona Nekkia McClodden. Created as a response to the milestone events of 2020—the uprising in response to police brutality against Black men and women, the November election—Blessed reflects upon the Christian Bible’s avowal that the meek will one day “inherit the earth.” The score was created with both written and improvised music, and Damian Norfleet also provided improvisation on vocals and texts.

The Messenger Scene from The Bread and Puppet Theater's 2021 production of The Persians by Aeschylus. The scene was improvised by actor/vocalist Damian Norfleet and puppeteer/dancer Maura Gahan. The production was directed by Peter Schumann.