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Nikky Finney finds the right words for a 400-year history

Poet Nikky Finney smiles at the camera, her hands clasped
Forrest Clonts
Nikky Finney

In collaboration with composer Michael Abels and the Kronos Quartet, the South Carolina poet focuses on the interiority of the African American experience in At War With Ourselves - 400 Years of You.

In this Sonatas & Soundscapes interview that aired Thursday, November 4th, host Bradley Fuller speaks with nationally-recognized poet Nikky Finney about At War With Ourselves – 400 Years of You. The work, billed as “a rhapsodic modern day paean spun from the skin of history,” is a years-in-the-making collaboration among Finney, composer Michael Abels, and the Kronos Quartet. Finney shares about how At War With Ourselves took shape and what it’s been like working alongside other artists to bring it before audiences for the first time in November 2021.

More information about Nikky Finney and her work can be found on her website, and further details about the November 7th preview performance of At War With Ourselves are available on the Koger Center for the Arts website.

The University of South Carolina School of Music is a financial supporter of South Carolina Public Radio.

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Originally from Greenwood, SC, Bradley Fuller has maintained a deep interest in classical music since the age of six. With piano lessons throughout grade school and involvement in marching and concert bands on the saxophone, Bradley further developed musical abilities as well as an appreciation for the importance of arts education.