Karen Parks performed in Wadada Leo Smith’s world premiere of “America Transformed”

Karen Parks, a USC Thornton Vocal Arts & Opera faculty member, performed in the world premiere of America Transformed by renowned trumpeter and composer Wadada Leo Smith. The premiere, in which Parks was a featured vocalist, took place September 8-11 at Brooklyn College’s Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts.

Parks joined the ensembles RedKoral Quartet and Kikuyu, as well as an orchestra comprised of students and faculty from Brooklyn and Queens Colleges. America Transformed is the sequel to Smith’s 2013 Pulitzer Prize finalist, Ten Freedom Summers, which focuses on the African American experience during the civil rights movement.