Wheels of Harmony

Wheels of Harmony, an Indigenous singing group with Intermountain Opera Bozeman, treated Cascade Public Schools last Wednesday with their presentation of opera, classical music and indigenous programming. The group consists of musicians Mark Billy, Cruise Berrey, and Sage DiPalma. Mark Billy is a Choctaw Opera singer,Baritone, Native flute and clarinestist from Oklahoma. Cruise Berry is a Chickasaw composer and pianist, also from Oklahoma. Sage DiPalma is a Cherokee Opera singer, Coloratura soprano, from Pennsylvania.

The goals of Wheels of Harmony is to expose as many students as possible to Indigenous music and culture, including opera; to engage students in meaningful discussion about Montana and the United Stagtes' Tribal Nations; and to encourage students to consider music performance as an option in their life.

They opened their program saying hello in the traditional languages of their tribes: 'Halito' (Choctaw), 'Chokma' (Chickasaw), and 'Osiyo' (Cherokee). They began with the smudging of musicians and instruments with dried white sage, followed by Sage performing the Lakota Four Directions Song, including wiohpeyata (west), waziyatakiya (north), wiohinhpayata (east), Itokagata (south), Wankatakiya (Great Spirit), makatakiya (mother earth). Other performances presented were:

Traditional Choctaw Hymn #112 (Mark and Cruise) "Je veux vivre", from Romeo et Juliette, composed by Charles Gounod (Sage and Mark)

One Drop of Blood - Cherokee hymn arranged by Cherokee composer Kiegan Ryan, based on traditional Cherokee song sung on the Trail of Tears (Mark and Cruise) Cherokee Water Song "Wichita Do ya" (Sage)

Cruise Berry's Birthday Benediction (Cruise) Kwagiulth and Stolo soprano and composer Marion Newman: Appropriation Song (Mark) Navajo composer Connor Chee "Coyotes" for Clarinet & Piano (Mark and Cruise)

Chickasaw Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate: "We Are The Storm" (Sage, Mark, Cruise)

There are many themes that these songs touch on, such as nature or history. They may mention water, or coyote, or storms. Many are about moments in history of different Indigenous nations, either the history of traditions or important symbols, or of tragic events like the Trail of Tears.

There was good interaction between the presenters and the students, and opportunities for the students to participate. Great program!