UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Hip-hop ensemble Soul Science Lab will celebrate the resilience of the human spirit with “Make a Joyful Noize.” The multimedia installation and full-band performance will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 23, in Eisenhower Auditorium at University Park.

Chen Lo and Asante Amin, Soul Science Lab’s griot storytellers and MC poets, will be joined by a rhythm section, trombone and trumpet players, two background vocalists, a DJ and a VJ. Members of State College’s Unity Church of Jesus Christ choir will join the band for some numbers.

Visit Soul Science Lab online or call 814-863-0255 for more information.

“Make a Joyful Noize,” commissioned by Carnegie Hall, tells stories of Black joy through film, interviews, spoken work, dance and hip-hop music. It “illuminates our experience as a reflection of the human condition, as a reflection of humanity,” Lo said.

Lo and Amin have produced programs with arts institutions including Lincoln Center, Harlem Stage, SXSWedu and Classical Theater of Harlem.

Pre-performance discussion

An informal moderated discussion will be offered one hour before the performance and is free for ticket holders. Seating for the pre-performance talk is available on a first-arrival basis.

Penn State graduate returns with ensemble

Lo, a 2001 Penn State graduate, said a performance by the most creative and current version of himself is cathartic. While at University Park and as a member of the Black Caucus, he said, he and other members of the Penn State community of color experienced threats and racism that changed his perspective as a young Black man preparing to enter society.

“There are a number of ways for us to make sure that people can hold space and have empathy for communities and ways that can actually bring about transformation and change that really impact lives in the long term,” Lo said, “and I’ve turned to my art.”

Read a Center for the Performing Arts interview with Lo.

Acknowledgements

Chad and Laura Mitchell sponsor the performance.

Honey and Bill Jaffe Endowment for Audience Development, Meghan R. Mason Program Endowment and McQuaide Blasko Endowment provide support.

A grant from the University Park Student Fee Board makes Penn State student prices possible.

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