Mitchell, an acclaimed flutist from Chicago, was named the "No. 1 Rising Star Flutist" by Down Beat Magazine from 2005 to 2008. In addition to her work as a virtuoso flutist, Mitchell is a bandleader for the Black Earth Ensemble, a composer and the co-president of the Association for Advancement of Creative Musicians.
Mitchell is best known for her unusual signature sound, which fans have called a post-modern fusion of jazz, gospel, pop and African percussion.
The Ensemble performed pieces composed by Mitchell that focus on rebirth, life and spirit. With compositions such as "Thanking the Universe" and "Love Has No Boundaries," which featured a stunning vocal section with lyrics written by Mitchell herself, Friday's concert was lively and energetic throughout.
Mitchell described her repetoire as "music that celebrates how life and nature's different forces connect to different emotions."
"The concert is a celebration of black music traditions as it relates to life," she said in an interview with The Dartmouth.
The students in the group appreciated the influx of emotion brough by Mitchell's music.
"The music encompasses a lot of profound topics," said Tomohiro Berry '12, who recently joined the ensemble. "It's interesting how much the pieces relate to life because normally you wouldn't expect music to be able to portray such depth and emotion."
Mitchell, dressed in an elaborate silver-filigreed robe, walked onto the stage and prefaced the concert by telling the audience that she really wanted them not to just listen to her music but to experience it as a celebration.
In addition to its usual brass band, the ensemble also performed with vocalists, a pianist, strings players and a marimba player. The instrumentation reflected the African style that Mitchell is so well known for. Demonstrating her influence, they played conch shells along with the music in one piece.
Donald Glasgo, the director of the Barbary Coast, co-conducted the concert with Mitchell. While Mitchell soloed on the flute, Glasgo took over leading the musicians. When Mitchell conducted, Glasgo joined the trombone section.
Mitchell, known for her love of experimentation, fulfilled her reputation once again with stunning improvisations during her flute solos. At times she sang and hummed through her flute. As Mitchell improvised during her solos, she seemed to be dancing to the beat set by the ensemble behind her.
The artist explained that, through exploring the relationship between voice and the flute in her improvisation, she expresses her feminine energy in what she believes is a very male-dominated field, according to the Hopkins Center's program notes.
A key aspect of Mitchell's music is the celebration of the empowerment of women, something she feels that not many musicians, nor many members of the general public, pay much attention to.
"I hope the students feel uplifted, feel recharged and energized. Hopefully they'll forget their problems or work for a little bit," Mitchell said.
Justin Tzou '10, who usually attends The Barbary Coast's concerts, enjoyed Mitchell's additions to the group's sound.
"The pieces played by the ensemble were definitely unlike anything I've ever heard before," he said. "Usually the music is more slow paced and like smooth jazz, but this was definitely an interesting change of pace. I enjoyed listening to something new."
Mitchell said she enjoyed the process as well as the final outcome of her collaboration with the group.
"I had a great time working with the Barbary Coast. They are a really talented group of individuals," she said.
