The musical work "More than words..." for saxophone octet, piano, bass, and spoken word by UGA graduate composition student Kevin Day was commissioned by Connie Frigo, associate professor of saxophone in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, and the UGA Saxophone Studio in the fall 2019.

With more than 100 performances of his music taking place in the past two years, Day is a rapidly rising star who is currently writing more than 20 music commissions for prominent ensembles and soloists across the country. "More than words..." received its world premiere performance by 11 UGA music majors at a national conference at Arizona State University in March 2020, just days before the country shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and months before protests against racial injustice erupted in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. The work represents Day's observations of the U.S. as a young Black man from Texas. The spoken-word component of the piece was written by Day and framed in quotes selected by narrator Karena Washington, a senior music education major and Mary Frances Early scholarship recipient.

Facilitated and produced by Frigo, this virtual event will include a performance of "More than words..." (from the world premiere) and a robust discussion with the composer, narrator, and other performers as they delve into the deeper meaning and impact of writing, performing, and presenting a work of this nature.

This event is presented by the Hugh Hodgson School of Music in partnership with the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts as part of the 2021 Global Georgia Initiative public events series. It is also part of UGA's 60th Anniversary of Desegregation celebration calendar.

This event will be presented as a Zoom webinar. It is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Those wishing to attend may register in advance here.