Grayce & Sickle

Nkeiru Okoye composed GRAYCE & SICKLE as a tribute to leading academic cardiologist and president of Wellesley College, Dr. Paula Johnson. “Grayce” refers to Dr. Johnson’s mother, while “Sickle” refers to sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder that disproportionately affects people of African descent. Both Grayce and sickle appear in the score as musical cryptograms, while the sickle motif additionally takes on the “U” shape of the sickle cell itself. Okoye notes the use of an ominous, staccato triplet motive to represent the painful attacks that occur when sickle cells block the flow of oxygen in blood vessels. These jarring outbursts are juxtaposed with a reflective theme for Dr. Johnson, recalling “her elegant serenity amid her tireless and trailblazing work.”