Co-presented by Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Kuumbwa, and the UCSC Music Department: A Change Is Gonna Come, featuring Palaver Strings and tenor Nicholas Phan, celebrates the rich legacy of American protest songs, from beloved anthems to new commissions. Our arrangements of 1960s classics explore the sonic palette of strings and voice, with nods to the iconic originals as well as today’s cultural landscape, and the sound worlds of film scores, contemporary chamber music, fiddle, gospel, and more. These songs reflect on individual experiences of oppression and call us to join the collective work of liberation. A Change Is Gonna Come confronts our past and present and celebrates the act of protest as one of our most precious rights. The concert will include a new work by a UCSC graduate composer, connecting with the theme of American protest songs.