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Voces Novae: Dissonance, Resolved

The vocal ensemble Voces Novae, directed by Susan Swaney, collaborates with the Community Justice and Mediation Center on a program they're calling The Proper Resolution of Dissonance.

Ed Greenebaum, the director of the Center, and choir member and composer Deborah Phelps are two of the program's creators.

A Resolution For Community Dissonance

Greenebaum describes the evolution of the Community Justice and Mediation Center: "The Center actually grew out of the melding of two organizations, one of which ran a victim offender mediation program on the criminal justice side, the other of which ran a community mediation and education program. We provide mediation services. We help people in disagreement come to a better state for themselves with results that are acceptable to both."

Greenebaum's connection with Voces Novae came in part from his playing the double bass in some programs with the group. "I had worked with Sue Swaney in the past. As they were planning a program with emphasis on musical resolutions, she proposed a joint project."

Echoed In Music

Deborah Phelps, a member of Voces Novae, is the composer of A Dissonance Demonstration Melodrama, one of the pieces in the concert.

"For my day job, I work as an oncology nurse, but I have a background in music. For this piece, I'm trying to write strong musical lines, to show how in the musical world we move from tension to relaxation, from dissonance to resolution."

In addition to Phelps' composition, the concert features music by Beethoven, Billings, Machaut, Monteverdi, Palestrina and Purcell.

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