Roland Carter

Chief Executive Officer, Smiths

Search every verified Roland Carter interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a June 2022 workshop for a Juneteenth choral celebration, Roland Carter discussed his new choral work inspired by civil rights leader John Lewis. Carter described himself as "a preservationist first" and said the piece draws on African-American spirituals and choral traditions. He explained that the work's title and theme came from Lewis's phrase "make some noise, get in trouble good trouble necessary trouble," which Carter characterized as "a human statement" rather than a political one. Carter also spoke about his approach to composition, stating that "just singing write notes and write rhythms will not take the music off the page." He said he leaves freedom for conductors to "bring part of themselves to the music" and encouraged them to "let the music speak to you." The piece includes a section Carter described as "the closest I'll get to hip-hop," and he noted plans to rewrite that section with a rap overlay using Lewis's words.