Pittsburgh’s Inaugural Complaint Choir, as part of the International project, Complaint Choirs of the World.
Multi-disciplinary artist Christiane D, lead the Complaints n’ At Choir during the 10 days of the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. The Complaints n’At Choir is a volunteer choir made up of artists and residents. They will sing a song composed of complaints gathered from artistes, ‘burghians, yinzers, relocators, boomerangs and longtime residents about their city, Pittsburgh. Christiane D solicited complaints online and in person and received over 100 complaints, which she and her collaborators, Reverend Deryck Tines, Phat Man Dee and Andrew Lasswell, constructed into a song. The complaints range from the usual comments about the weather and the roads to deeper issues regarding equity and displacement.
The Complaints Choirs of the World is an international project that encourages local artists and neighbors to voice their civic concerns, resulting in a musical composition that is a tongue in cheek way for community members to voice valid concerns about their city.