Composed in Crisis: Hunsinger premieres new chamber work

Composer Robbie Lynn Hunsinger will premiere Pavane for Palestine, Lachrimae, at Constellation on Sunday, November 22. The piece was originally written for a 2024 debut that never happened. Half of the musicians in the commissioning ensemble pulled out of the performance, deeming the subject matter controversial. They left after it was too late to find replacements for the canceled show.

Hunsinger, a current and former Chicago resident who also spends time in Nashville, is a classical oboist, educator, and activist. She founded the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, a group focused on protecting migratory birds from urban lighting hazards. Her musical background spans rock, bluegrass, country, and free improvisation using double reeds and stringed instruments from various regions.

The November 22 program features an 11-member chamber ensemble. The first set includes three of Hunsinger’s pieces. Eclipse combines shimmering textures, soprano voice, and video projections. The work reflects on the simultaneous timing of Hunsinger’s mother’s illness, the first Trump election, and a solar eclipse. Catalyst is a pithy, syncopated piece that responds to population collapse in bee colonies.

The second set is a solo performance of Synesthesia Suite. Hunsinger pairs intense color projections with live-looped, avian-sounding instrumentation for this segment.

The event takes place at 7:30 PM at 3111 N. Western. Tickets are priced at $20 plus fees, or $20.72 in advance. The venue is 18+.