Church Event Celebrates Controversial Composition Amid School Board Ban
In a resonant display of music and unity, Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church became a hub of celebration as both current and former Watertown band members joined community figures to perform “A Mother of A Revolution!” on Wednesday night. Composer Omar Thomas, who composed the piece, was in attendance to conduct the performance that has sparked debate within the local community.
Thomas, reflecting on his decade-long journey of inspiring storytelling through music, shared, “It’s the commons that we’re telling that fill in the gaps of humanity. We start to learn about one another, we start to see all the ways in which we intersect. And then all of our differences become places of fascination, rather than points of view.”
The Watertown High School Band had dedicated five months to mastering the piece, but the Watertown School Board recently prohibited its inclusion in the school’s spring concert. The board cited a breach of their controversial issues policy, prompting a substitution of Robert Jager’s “Esprit de Corps” at the concert.
Clarinet player Kacie Tripp expressed her excitement about performing under Thomas’s direction, stating, “Honestly, I’m really happy to be a part of this. All of our hard work paid off in the end.”
The church event drew a substantial crowd, with attendees lining up around the block. Those unable to secure a spot inside gathered outside, while over 3,000 individuals tuned in via livestream.
Thomas, before the performance, greeted the overflow crowd, remarking, “It’s my honor to be here today. Thank you for pulling up outside. It’s kind of chilly, but it means more than I can express. And you’re setting an example for people all over the country.”
Kent Jacobson, a retired principal and local attendee, reflected on his career dedicated to teaching acceptance and kindness. “That is what we taught for all those years. And then to have this happen just didn’t make any sense to me,” he stated, expressing hope for progress through the night’s event.
The musical piece, “A Mother of A Revolution!”, begins with a dramatic arrangement of bassoons and oboes, transitioning into a lively tempo. Thomas aimed to create a work that honored trans women, particularly Marsha ‘Pay it No Mind’ Johnson, a notable figure in the LGBTQ+ rights movement and the Stonewall Uprising.
Thomas’s dedication to Johnson led to the Watertown School Board’s decision, with a 7-1 vote to ban the music, labeling it a “celebration of violence.” The board stated its commitment to a “values-neutral” educational environment.
Despite the board’s stance, the community welcomed Thomas, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, to conduct the piece. David Morstad, who organized the church event, challenged the board’s neutrality claim. “The action by the school board is anything but values-neutral,” he asserted, suggesting that all educational environments are inherently value-driven.
Morstad emphasized that the performance was independent of the school, with no involvement from staff or use of school resources. The sheet music was generously provided by Thomas.
Matthew Koscinski, Sauk Prairie School District’s band director, contributed to organizing the event. He criticized the notion that the piece was indoctrination, saying, “They forgot one fundamental truth: you cannot extinguish light by closing your eyes.”
Pastor Carina Schiltz of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, in her conversation with “Wisconsin Today,” affirmed the congregation’s welcoming stance towards LGBTQ+ individuals, expressing joy over the event’s message of connection and musical celebration.
Morstad concluded with a shared belief in music’s power, stating, “Music will have its own way of reaching in and touching individuals, and I’ve heard recordings of the piece a number of times. It moves me every time.”
The performance concluded with Thomas and the crowd celebrating the musicians’ efforts, marking a night of triumph and unity.
