JARED: TONIGHT ON GREATER BOSTON, U.S. ATTORNEY FOR MASSACHUSETTS RACHAEL ROLLINS JOINS ME ON THE HEELS OF HER TRIP TO SELMA TO COMMEMORATE THE 58TH ANNIVERSARY OF BLOODY SUNDAY AND THE PASSAGE OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 18 -- OF 1965.

WE WILL DISCUSS THAT, WHAT I SAW ON MY RECENT TRIP TO SOMMA, AND WHETHER YOU CITY REPRESENTS FOR RACISM AND VOTING RIGHTS TODAY.

THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IS ADDRESSING RACISM MUSICALLY VIA A FESTIVAL THIS WEEK.

WE WILL HEAR FROM THE CREATIVE TEAM BEHIND THE COMPOSITION "YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT OR GO -- SILENT."

HONORING A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN THE FIGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS SIX DECADES LATER.

ON MARCH 7, 1965, KNOWN AS BLOODY SUNDAY, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS MARCHING ACROSS THE EDMUND PETTUS BRIDGE WERE BRUTALLY ATTACKED BY A BATTALION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

THAT VIOLENCE, TELEVISED ON NEWS BROADCASTS, IGNITED NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONVERSATION AROUND CIVIL-RIGHTS AND GAVE WAY TO THE EVENTUAL PASSAGE OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.

58 YEARS LATER THIS PAST SUNDAY, U.S.

ATTORNEYS ACROSS THE COUNTRY JOINED PRESIDENT BIDEN TO WALK ACROSS THE SAME BRIDGE, HONORING THE ACTIVISTS WHO FIRST MADE THAT MARCH AND THE IDEALS FOR WHICH THEY WERE FIGHTING AND RISKING THEIR LIVES.

THE DELEGATION WAS LED BY U.S. ATTORNEY FOR MASSACHUSETTS RACHAEL ROLLINS, WHO JOINS ME NOW.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

MS. ROLLINS: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

JARED: FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED A QUICK HISTORY LESSON, WE SHOULD REMIND THEM THIS WAS A MARCH BORN OUT OF A MULTITUDE OF CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES, INFRACTIONS, A LACK OF BEING ABLE TO VOTE, THE MURDER OF A YOUNG BLACK MAN, JIMMIE LEE JACKSON.

IT WAS SWELLING IN SELMA AT THAT TIME.

WHAT THEY HOPED WOULD BE A PEACEFUL MARCH ENDED UP BEING ANYTHING BUT.

AS YOU WERE THERE 58 YEARS LATER, HOW DID THAT RESONATE WITH YOU?

THAT HISTORY AND WHY THERE IS STILL A NEED TO RECOGNIZE WHAT THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR?

MS. ROLLINS: HEARING YOUR DESCRIPTION, WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT HOW OUR COMMUNITY HAS REACTED AFTER VIOLENT MURDERS OF AN INDIVIDUAL, OR SEVERAL PEOPLE, IN A SERIES OF WEEKS OR MONTHS, PROTESTS THAT WERE HAPPENING, AND A LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE THAT AT TIMES MAY HAVE BEEN EXCESSIVE.

THAT TALKS ABOUT WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT 58 YEARS AGO AND WE HAVE SEEN IT MANY TIMES TODAY.

TO BE ABLE TO WALK OVER THAT BRIDGE IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF PEOPLE BEFORE ME FAR BETTER THAN ME, OF COURSE, AND BIGGER THAN ME, BUT TO KNOW THAT I AM PART OF A DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THAT IS PROTECTING CIVIL RIGHTS WAS AN INCREDIBLE HONOR AND INCREDIBLY MOVING.

I WILL REMIND YOU THAT BRIDGE IS NAMED AFTER A MEMBER, A VOCAL AND OUT MEMBER OF THE KKK.

IT IS STILL CALLED THE EDMUND PETTUS BRIDGE.

THE VIOLENCE THAT OCCURRED 58 YEARS AGO WAS COMMITTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THERE IS A LOT OF SIMILARITIES WE SEE TODAY THAT WERE HAPPENING DECADES AGO.

JARED: THERE IS A DEBATE RIGHT NOW ABOUT WHETHER THAT BRIDGE SHOULD BE RENAMED.

MANY BELIEVE IT IS KNOWN AS THE EDMUND PETTUS BRIDGE, TYPE TO THE BRAVERY OF PEOPLE WHO MARCHED AND CONTINUED TO MARCH DAYS LATER TO GATHER STRENGTH AFTER THEY WERE ATTACKED INITIALLY, HOPING THEY WOULD NOT BE ATTACKED AGAIN, VERSUS THOSE WHO THINK THE NAME SHOULD BE ERASED.

WHERE DO YOU FALL?

MS. ROLLINS: I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF NOT ONLY WALKING OVER THAT BRIDGE BUT SEEING OTHER LANDMARKS.

WE MET WITH BRYAN STEVENSON.

WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE LEGACY MUSEUM AND THE MEMORIAL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE.

MARKERS ARE IMPORTANT.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO DRIVE OR WALK OVER A BRIDGE NAMED IN HONOR OF A PERSON THAT ACTIVELY WAS INVOLVED IN VIOLENCE AND TERROR, I HAVE STRONG FEELINGS THAT WE SHOULD NOT FORGET OUR HISTORY, BUT I DON'’T KNOW WHETHER WE SHOULD CHAMPION THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE SO VIOLENT AND HATEFUL.

I DON'’T THINK THERE WILL EVER BE A TIME WHEN EDMUND PETTUS'’S NAME IS FORGOTTEN, BECAUSE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, BUT I DON'’T NECESSARILY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HONOR HIM WITH THE NAME OF A BRIDGE.

JARED: SPEAKING OF PEOPLE HAVING TO DRIVE OVER THAT BRIDGE TODAY, ESPECIALLY BLACK PEOPLE, WHEN I WAS IN SELMA I MET WITH LINDA BLACKMAN LOWERY, THE YOUNGEST PERSON TO MARCH THAT DAY.

SHE TURNED 15 HER SECOND DAY INTO THE MARCH.

SHE TOLD ME WHEN SHE WAS THERE ORIGINALLY, SHE WAS THERE ORIGINALLY, SHE WAS BEATEN BY POLICE.

SHE STILL BEARS A SCAR OVER HER RIGHT EYE.

SHE HAS THE TRAUMA OF WHAT SHE EXPERIENCED.

SHE DOES NOT LIKE TO WALK THE BRIDGE.

SHE HAS ONLY DONE IT A FEW TIMES IN HER LIFETIME.

WHEN SHE HAS TO DRIVE ACROSS, SHE SPEEDS.

SHE TOLD ME IT CAME FLOODING BACK WHEN SHE SAW THE GEORGE FLOYD MURDER AND, AS SHE DESCRIBED IT, THE SMUG HATRED ON THE FACES OF THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO MURDERED HIM.

WHEN YOU HEAR STORIES LIKE THAT THAT COME FROM THE PEOPLE THERE WHO ARE STILL DEALING WITH THIS, HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE THIS INTO YOUR ROLE AS U.S. ATTORNEY AND HOW YOU ARE DEALING WITH PROSECUTION AND VIOLENCE THAT STILL PERSISTS?

MS. ROLLINS: I STOOD UP AND SAID I WAS INTERESTED IN BEING INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP OF CIVIL RIGHTS FOR OUR COUNTRY.

NOT ONLY AS UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, BUT I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE VICE CHAIR OF THE CIVIL-RIGHTS SUBCOMMITTEE FOR ALL ATTORNEYS IN THE UNITED STATES.

NICK BROWN, MY COLLEAGUE YOU SAW IN THE PHOTO AT THE BEGINNING, CHAIRS THAT COMMITTEE, BUT WE WORK EVERY DAY TO HONOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAME BEFORE US, THE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN LAWYERS BUT STOOD UP AS HEROES AND SAID WE DESERVE TO BE TREATED LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.

WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR MORE RIGHTS, WE ARE ASKING FOR EQUAL RIGHTS.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PLAYS A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS WORK.

WHEN WE SHOW UP AND HELP, IT CAN BE DEEPLY IMPACTFUL.

WHEN WE ABANDON COMMUNITIES, AND THERE IS A HISTORY OF THAT IN THE PAST, THAT IS WHEN TERROR IS ABLE TO RAIN.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO BE BOLD AND FEARLESS WHEN, AS LEADERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OR WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, WE HAVE TO WORK MAKING SURE WE UPHOLD PEOPLE'’S CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES AND WE PROSECUTE CRIMES OR HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE WITH ALL THESE CIVIL REMEDIES WE CAN.

JARED: IN FLORIDA, RON DESANTIS HAS BEEN VOCAL ABOUT STRIPPING A LOT OF THE HISTORY YOU AND I RECOGNIZED WHEN WE WERE ON THAT BRIDGE, KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED, FROM THE WAY THEY ARE TAUGHT IN CLASSROOMS.

TO KNOW THIS IS MOVING FORWARD IN SOME DEGREE AND COLLEGE BOARDS HAVE ACCEPTED THIS, WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE YOU AND THE WORK YOU TALKED ABOUT?

MS. ROLLINS: WE HEARD THE PRESIDENT SAY THAT DAY ON THE BRIDGE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KNOW OUR HISTORY.

IF WE KNOW OUR HISTORY, WE CAN AVOID THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST AND MAY BE MOVED TO A BETTER AND A DIFFERENT FUTURE.

I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'’T ERASE THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY.

THAT DOESN'’T MEAN WE ARE NECESSARILY VILIFYING PEOPLE, BUT I THINK IT OFFERS A CONTEXT WITH WHICH WE FIND SOME OF THESE VAST DISPARITIES.

WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AS BRYAN STEVENSON DID, THIS FALSE NARRATIVE OF PEOPLE OF COLOR OR BLACK PEOPLE BEING INFERIOR.

THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

THE FACT THAT WE HONOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE PRIOR TO US COMING 2 AMERICA, OR WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SLAVERY WAS PART OF OUR ORIGIN STORY IN THIS COUNTRY, I THINK ULTIMATELY WHEN WE COME TO TERMS WITH THAT TRUTH AND RECKONING IS WHEN WE CAN START TO HEAL.

IT IS NOT EASY, I AM NOT SAYING IT IS.

I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GOING TO GERMANY AND WALKING THROUGH THE STREETS AND LEARNING ABOUT THE RECKONING THEY HAVE HAD.

THERE ARE NO MONUMENTS IN HONOR OF ADOLF HITLER IN GERMANY.

YOU CANNOT WALK A BLOCK WITHOUT SEEING SOME DISCUSSION OF THE HORRIFIC ACTS HAPPENING THERE.

JARED: I WANT TO INTERRUPT FOR A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT MONUMENTS.

I ALSO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF VISITING THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE, WHICH WAS THE BRAINCHILD OF BRYAN STEVENSON.

HE FOUNDED THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE AS A YOUNG LAWYER TRYING TO GET THE WRONGLY INCARCERATED OUT OF PRISON AND OFF DEATH ROW.

NOT EVEN NECESSARILY WRONGLY INCARCERATED, BUT WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES.

WALKING THROUGH THAT MEMORIAL, WHICH COMMEMORATES THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LYNCHED IN THIS COUNTRY, AS YOU SAY, WE SEE THESE MEMORIALS IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE APARTHEID, IN GERMANY FOR THE HOLOCAUST.

THE MUSEUM TIES SLAVERY IN THIS COUNTRY TO MASS INCARCERATION TODAY.

FOR PEOPLE WHO STILL DON'’T UNDERSTAND THAT HISTORY AND THE LINK HE IS TRYING TO VISUALIZE FOR THIS COUNTRY, HOW DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT?

MS. ROLLINS: HE TIES SLAVERY TO INCARCERATION TO MASS INCARCERATION.

I ACKNOWLEDGE IT BY TRYING TO GO TO PLACES LIKE SELMA, TRYING TO VISIT THESE HISTORICAL SITES, BY LEARNING ABOUT THE EXCEPTIONAL WORK.

IT'’S NOT JUST THE BRYAN STEVENSONS OF THE WORLD.

JUDGE FRANK WHILE HE WAS ALIVE IS A WHITE MAN WHO DID TONS OF WORK FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

WE HAVE GOOD PEOPLE THAT ARE ABLE TO BE BOLD AND FEARLESS AND ADVOCATE FOR QUALITY.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MONUMENTS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE PLACES, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO LEARN FROM THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE DONE THE WORK BEFORE HER.

WITH RESPECT TO THE MEMORIAL THAT BRYAN DID, THEY DON'’T JUST SAY WE HEARD A STORY ABOUT A LYNCHING.

WE HAVE TO COMMEMORATE THESE, USUALLY WITH A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO ENGAGED IN THE LYNCHING WERE VERY BOLD AND PROUD.

THEY USUALLY HAVE SOME OTHER SOURCE THEY LOOK AT PRIOR TO HAVING IT DEFINED AS AN ACTUAL LYNCHING.

THIS TERROR RAINED DOWN ON BLACK PEOPLE IS INCREDIBLY HUMBLING AND TO SEE THAT TO KNOW FOR ME IN A PROUD WAY THAT I AM THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN WHO HAS EVER SAT IN THIS ROLE, NOT ONLY IN MASSACHUSETTS BUT IN NEW ENGLAND IN THE FIRST CIRCUIT, THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE ME THAT COULD HAVE BEEN LYNCHED DECADES AGO, NOW LEADING THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND ELSEWHERE IS A REALLY PROFOUNDLY PROUD MOMENT.

ALTHOUGH WE HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO, GOOD WORK HAS BEEN DONE AND WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.

JARED: THAT MEMORIAL IS A MASTERPIECE.

SADLY YOU SEE THE NAMES OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN TOO.

I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE CITY OF EVERETT, IN THE NEWS BECAUSE THE SUPERINTENDENT'’S CONTRACT HAS NOT BEEN RENEWED.

SHE IS THE FIRST NONWHITE PERSON IN THAT ROLE AND HAS BEEN WIDELY APPLAUDED.

LEAVING THAT ASIDE, A YEAR AGO YOUR OFFICE OPENED AN INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN EVERETT AFTER CONCERNS OF HARASSMENT, RACIAL SLURS, SUDDEN RESIGNATIONS IN THE MAYOR'’S OFFICE.

WHERE DOES THAT INVESTIGATION STAND?

MS. ROLLINS: IT REMAINS ONGOING.

THAT WAS A LETTER I PERSONALLY WROTE, AN INQUIRY I FOUND NECESSARY BECAUSE LIKE MANY OF YOU I HAD JUST READ THE NUMEROUS ARTICLES NOT ONLY DICTATING THE RACIAL ANIMUS OR THE BRAZEN USE OF RACIAL SLURS BY ELECTED OFFICIALS IN PUBLIC MEETINGS, BUT ALSO THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT WITH RESPECT TO OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS, WHICH WE HAVE SEEN IN THE NEWS.

A RECENT SUPERINTENDENT HAS MULTIPLE CRIMINAL CASES THAT ARE OPEN.

THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.

IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'’T SAY WE SEE WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND WE WANT TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS, THERE IS NO OTHER ENTITY THAT'’S GOING TO LOOK INTO THE CITY OF EVERETT IF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS NOT BOLD ENOUGH TO SAY, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, WE HAVE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND HOPEFULLY GET ANSWERS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE OR ASSIST WITH CORRECTING BEHAVIOR WE FIND POTENTIALLY UNLAWFUL OR CERTAINLY PROBLEMATIC.

JARED: I KNOW YOUR OFFICE WANTS TO BE METHODICAL AND DELIBERATE ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION, BUT DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE WHEN WE MIGHT HEAR RESULTS?

MS. ROLLINS: I DON'’T HAVE ONE TO OFFER NOW BUT THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING AND THE WORK CONTINUES.

JARED: ST. PATRICK'’S DAY IS COMING UP, THE BIG PARADE IN BOSTON WE ARE USED TO.

WE ALSO SAW WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED BY THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, A NEO-NAZI GROUP CAME THROUGH THIS CITY LAST YEAR AND MADE THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN.

KEEP BOSTON IRISH WAS THERE SIGN.

BOSTON OFFICIALS HAVE MET WITH THE MBTA ABOUT SAFETY CONCERNS.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AS ST. PATRICK'’S DAY APPROACHES?

MS. ROLLINS: WE CONTINUE TO, WITH THE SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'’S OFFICE, THE BOSTON POLICE, FBI, MBTA POLICE, MASS STATE POLICE, TO BE VERY ACTIVE MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE'’S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED AND EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE MAY SAY THINGS THAT ARE REPUGNANT AND MAYBE NONE OF US WOULD WANT TO HEAR, THE FIRST AMENDMENT DOES APPLY TO EVERYONE.

BUT IF THERE ARE LAWS THAT ARE BROKEN, NOT JUST WITH ACTS OF VIOLENCE, BUT THREATS, TRESPASS, OR OTHER THINGS THAT MAY OCCUR, I AM CONFIDENT THE BOSTON POLICE, THE MASS STATE POLICE, AND THE MBTA POLICE AS WELL AS OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS ARE GOING TO BE WATCHING AND ACTIVELY INVOLVED.

IF THERE ARE CRIMES COMMITTED, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT PROSECUTING THEM.

JARED: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND TALKING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES IN SELMA.

ART ANSWERS LIFE IN THE LATEST PERFORMANCE SERIES PRESENTED BY THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CALLED "“VOICES OF LOSS, RECKONING, AND HOPE," CENTERED AROUND THE THEME OF CIVIL RIGHTS.

THE FESTIVAL IS SOUNDING OFF ON ISSUES OF RACISM, INEQUALITY, AND INCARCERATION, INCLUDING THROUGH A CONCERTO INSPIRED BY A RUN IN COMPOSER AND PIANIST ANTHONY DAVIS HAD WITH POLICE A DECADE AGO.

♪ >> YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT.

JARED: THAT WAS A CLIP FROM "YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT," PERFORMED BY THE CINCINNATI ORCHESTRA.

CLARINETIST ANTHONY MCGILL WILL MAKE HIS DEBUT THIS WEEKEND.

IT'’S AN EVENT CONDUCTED BY THOMAS WILKINS, CURATED BY ANTHONY DAVIS.

ALL THREE JOIN ME NOW TO DISCUSS.

WELCOME.

TO START, DESCRIBE WHAT THIS FESTIVAL IS.

I GAVE THE ENCAPSULATION.

WHERE ARE YOU TAKING AUDIENCES?

>> I THINK WE ARE TAKING AUDIENCES TO A PLACE OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT, HISTORICAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT FOR SURE, BUT ALSO A PLACE OF DETERMINATION TO NOT REPEAT THE MISTAKES OF THE PAST, TO THE EXTENT IT IS POSSIBLE.

WE ARE DOING THAT BY INGESTING WITH AS MUCH MUSICAL, VOCAL INSPIRATION, SOLOIST INSPIRATION , AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, SO WE CAN LEAVE THIS CONCERT PERIOD BETTER.

JARED: THIS IS A PIECE THAT'’S VERY PERSONAL TO YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DESIRE TO WRITE SOMETHING ABOUT THAT ENCOUNTER WITH POLICE.

>> IT IS SO TYPICAL.

UNFORTUNATELY TYPICAL OF THE BLACK EXPERIENCE.

WE HAVE THE EXPRESSION DRIVING WHILE BLACK THAT WE USE.

I THINK ANTHONY HAS HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE.

WHEN I WAS ASKED TO WRITE THE CONCERTO, I WAS INTERESTED IN THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE ORCHESTRA TO THE SOLOIST.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO LOOK AT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE CLARINETIST BEING INTERROGATED BY THE ORCHESTRA.

JARED: YOU WRITE THIS PIECE WITH FOUR THEMES.

>> IT IS IN FOUR MOVEMENTS AND THE FIRST IS THE INTERROGATION IN THE SENSE OF THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE SOUL IS TO THE ORCHESTRA AND HOW IT WORKS IN CONCERTO FORM.

SINCE I AM AN OPERA COMPOSURE, I SOMETIMES THINK IN MORE DRAMATIC TERMS.

I THOUGHT ABOUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON THE CLARINETIST AND THEY ARE UNDER INTERROGATION.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE EMOTIONAL STATE OF THAT, THE VULNERABILITY OF IT.

IT HAS MOMENTS OF LYRICISM AND VULNERABILITY, MOMENTS OF DEFIANCE, ALL THE EMOTIONS THAT COME OUT OF A SITUATION LIKE THAT.

JARED: A PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING COMPOSER, I MIGHT ADD.

ANTHONY MCGILL, YOU COME INTO IT AS THE CLARINETIST.

HOW DO YOU COME INTO IT KNOWING YOU HAVE THIS PARTICULAR ROLE, CONSIDERING THESE THEMES?

>> I THINK OF IT LIKE I AM THE PROTAGONIST IN ONE OF ANTHONY'’S OPERAS.

A LOT OF HIS COMPOSITIONS THAT ARE MAGNIFICENT ARE HIS OPERAS THAT HE HAS WRITTEN.

I COME INTO IT THINKING OF IT LIKE A SMALL OPERETTA WITH A SERIOUS THEME.

I KIND OF WANT TO ACT OUT THE CHARACTERS OF THE DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS AS I FEEL THEM IN REAL TIME.

JARED: YOU PERFECTLY LED INTO SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN DYING TO ASK YOU.

I THOUGHT ABOUT PERFORMANCE, THE WAY AN ACTOR MIGHT TAKE THE STAGE.

IF SOMETHING DIFFERENT IS HAPPENING IN A PIECE LIKE THIS, WHAT IS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND?

>> IN REHEARSAL, YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE MUSICMAKING.

I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PIECE THAT SOMETHING ELSE TAKES OVER.

THAT IS THE REAL RAW EMOTION OF WHAT IS HAPPENING, PUTTING MYSELF IN THE SPACE OF SOMEONE WHO MAY BE BEING INTERROGATED, SOMEONE WHO HAS LOST A LOVED ONE, WHETHER TO PRISON OR ELSEWHERE, AND SOMEONE EXPERIENCING THOSE FEELINGS OF BEING INCARCERATED.

I TRIED TO PUT MYSELF IN THOSE SPACES TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT TO INFORM HOW I MAKE MUSIC ON STAGE WITH THIS WORK.

JARED: YOU MENTIONED YOU HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE.

>> IT WAS MY FIRST JOB IN CINCINNATI AND I WAS IN KENTUCKY LATE ONE NIGHT WITH FRIENDS.

I WAS SITTING IN THE CAR AND THE PERSON WALKED OVER AND SAID SOMETHING LIKE, WHILE USING THE TERM BOY TO REFER TO ME, SAID YOU ARE NOT IN CALIFORNIA, BOY.

BECAUSE I DID NOT YIELD THE RIGHT-OF-WAY TO HIM.

HE MADE ME SIT THERE FOR 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR.

THIS WAS LATE AT NIGHT AFTER WE LEFT A RESTAURANT.

IT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE.

THE WAY HE SPOKE TO ME, I KNEW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

IF I HAD NOT HAD PEOPLE IN THE CAR WITH ME, IT WOULD HAVE TURNED OUT DIFFERENTLY, I IMAGINE.

IT WAS MY FIRST COUCH, MY FIRST CAR THAT I OWNED, SO I DID NOT HAVE ANY RECORD SPEAK OF.

FORTUNATELY I HAD CLASSICAL MUSIC ON THE RADIO AS WELL.

THAT SAVED ME IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS FROM A BAD ENCOUNTER.

JARED: I WONDER IF YOU FELT A RESPONSIBILITY TO WRITE THIS PIECE.

>> GENERALLY WITH MUSIC I FEEL THAT.

PART OF THE ROLE OF BEING A COMPOSER, PARTICULARLY AT THIS TIME, IS TO SPEAK TO OUR TIMES, SPEAK TO THE CONDITIONS WE FACE, AND SO PEOPLE CAN EXPERIENCE A KIND OF EMPATHY AND IDENTIFICATION WITH WHAT'’S GOING ON.

IN MUSIC WE EXPLORE THE EMOTIONAL REALM RATHER THAN NECESSARILY THE RATIONAL ONE.

THAT'’S EXCITING TO ME, TO PUT PEOPLE IN A PLACE TO HAVE AN EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE.

>>JARED: ONE OF THE GREAT JOYS OF MY JOB IS TO SEE HOW DIFFERENT ARTISTS REFLECT OUR TIMES AND GET PEOPLE TO HAVE AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE, TO PROVOKE.

PEOPLE DON'’T ALWAYS NECESSARILY THINK ABOUT MUSIC OR CLASSICAL MUSIC HAVING THE SAME EFFECT, BUT HOW DOES IT?

>> I HAVE OFTEN SAID THE BEST COMPOSERS ARE NOT TRYING TO DEMONSTRATE HOW SMART THEY ARE OR HOW THEY HAVE MASTERED MUSIC THEORY.

THEY ARE INVITING US TO A PLACE OF EMPATHY.

THEY ARE USING NOTES AND CHORD PROGRESSIONS TO DO THAT.

FOR THE MOST PART, A LOT OF THEM ARE SAYING EMPATHY IS BETTER THAN SYMPATHY.

SYMPATHY IS I AM PULLING FOR YOU.

EMPATHY IS I AM GOING TO WALK IN YOUR SHOES AND BE WITH YOU THROUGH THIS JOURNEY.

THAT'’S WHY WE STILL LISTEN TO BEETHOVEN AND TCHAIKOVSKY AND BRAHMS.

THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

THEY WERE NOT INTENDING TO SHOW US HOW SMART THEY WERE.

JARED: ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS I READ ABOUT THIS IS THERE IS A LEVEL OF IMPROVISATION.

IT IS NEW, FRESH EVERY NIGHT.

WHAT IS HAPPENING ON STAGE?

>> IT IS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO PLAY AND CREATE ALONGSIDE ANTHONY DAVIS, BASICALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY FRACTIONAL CAREER HE WILL WRITE OUT A FEW LINES OF MUSIC AND SAY, GO FOR IT FOR THE NEXT FEW MINUTES.

IT GIVES ME THE ABILITY TO REACH INSIDE AND FIND OUT WHAT I WANT TO SAY, HOW I WANT TO INTERACT WITH THE ORCHESTRA INTERROGATING ME OR PLAYING ALONGSIDE ME WITH THE NOTES THEY ARE PLAYING.

IT GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THOSE EMOTIONS AS I AM PLAYING IN REAL TIME.

THAT GIVES A SENSE OF BEING IN REAL LIFE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN THAT MOMENT WHEN SOMEONE IS SAYING SOMETHING TO YOU?

HOW WOULD I RESPOND?

USING NOTES, I GET TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS WORK OF ART.

EVERY PERFORMANCE IS GOING TO BE SPECIAL AND UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT.

THAT GIVES IT AN EXTRA BIT OF EXCITEMENT AND THRILL WHEN PERFORMING THE PIECE.

JARED: YOU OFTEN DON'’T CONSIDER YOUR WORKS FINISHED.

YOU GO BACK.

THEY LIVE, THEY CAN CHANGE.

WHY IS THAT?

>> I THINK I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE IN THE MUSIC AND I WANT TO CONTINUE AND FEEL LIKE I CAN DEVELOP IT FURTHER.

THAT ENDED UP IN CENTRAL PARK FIVE, MY OPERA.

THE THEME, THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT, WRITING ABOUT THE FIVE TEENAGERS IN NEW YORK.

THERE IS A COMMON GROUND IN THAT.

I CAN SEE SOMETIMES MY THEMES FROM DIFFERENT PIECES TRAVEL FROM ONE PIECE TO THE NEXT.

I THINK OF THE THEMES AS CHARACTERS.

THEY ARE CHARACTERS THAT RECUR, THAT COME BACK.

THEY KIND OF SPEAK TO EACH OTHER.

THAT'’S EXCITING TO ME.

JARED: I BEGAN AND WILL END WITH YOU IN THE FEW SECONDS WE HAVE LEFT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY ARTISTS ARE THERE TO CREATE BUT NOT NECESSARILY HAVE A POLITICAL OR ACTIVIST VOICE.

I AM THINKING OF A PLAY I ALL RECENTLY THAT ADDRESSED THAT ISSUE.

OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE NOT SEEING THIS WITH THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

YOU ARE MINDFUL OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

>> I DON'’T THINK IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS.

I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT IS RIGHT, WRONG, GOOD, BAD, DECENT, AND UNFAIR.

IF YOU GO AFTER THE LARGER HUMAN ISSUES, THAT ALLOWS OTHER PEOPLE TO HAVE SOME BUY IN.

BECAUSE RIGHT IS RIGHT.

I THINK THAT'’S THE THING WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE MORE THAN ANYTHING.

THERE IS NOTHING POLITICAL ABOUT HIM BEING STOPPED BY A POLICE OFFICER, THAT'’S JUST INJUSTICE.

THE QUESTION IS, IF WE SAY MERCY IS FEEDING THEM, THEN FINDING OUT WHY THEY ARE HUNGRY IN THE FIRST PLACE IS JUSTICE.

JARED: IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE.

THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE.

THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA'’S "VOICES OF LOSS, RECKONING, AND HOPE" IS RUNNING NOW THROUGH MARCH 18.

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT BSO.ORG/EVENTS.

COME BACK TOMORROW.

I AM JARED BOWEN.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

♪