Entries by Judlyne Lilly

Sarah Kirkland Snider Goes Forward Into Light

As any musician, classical or otherwise, knows, it’s a difficult climb to success.  It took Sarah Kirkland Snider almost 20 years to find it with her composing career.  She’s out with a new album of ethereal, spiritual music called Forward Into Light.  Black History Month soars with hundreds of events this month.  Here are just […]

It’s Black History Month

Oh Happy Day!  It’s Black History Month.  There are so many events celebrating “black excellence” in all genres of music.  I’ve only mentioned a few, including the Colour of Music Festival.  See more links below.  There’s a new audio edition of the Harry Potter books.  Believe it or not, the National Endowment for the Arts […]

Song Offerings From Christopher Tin

So many events are happening this month and early in February in the classical music community.    There’s the Grammys, a new album of choral works from the composer of Baba Yetu, Christopher Tin, a fresh take on Bach, another cancellation at the Kennedy Center and the March broadcast of the Oscars with a nomination […]

Zara Hudson Kozdoj Remembers Who She Is

Sometimes things happen that let you know that you are on the right path.    This is the experience of the Zara Hudson Kozdoj of the UK.  This 29-year-old Polish-Jamaican cellist, composer and conductor isn’t all about classical music but has surrendered herself to it in bits and pieces. She released her first album in October […]

Opera’s Civil War

Which opera team are you on? “Old” operas versus the “New” operas. According to the book, Opera Wars by Caitlin Vincent, artistic directors and others at the nation’s opera companies are in conflict with themselves over staging the standard operas from the 18th and 19th centuries or producing those composed in the late 20th and […]

The Emerging Black Composers Project is back

While we still might be recovering from Thanksgiving,  there’s the rest of the holidays to consider.  Shopping for gifts, decorating the house while listening to music. Gifts have already come to Kyle Rivera, who won the Michael Morgan Prize for Black composers.  The Pegasus Opera Company in the UK is looking for partners to produce […]

The Opera Austin Festival and a Jane Austen Tribute

A new era of operas is emerging. Not that the popular ones are stuffy or just plain old.  Composer Nathan Felix seeks new 21st century operas at his second annual Opera Austin Festival.  Another member of the Kanneh-Mason family of England, has released a new album.  Pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason shows her love of Jane Austen […]

Two Things to be grateful for.  Music and Money

As the holiday season officially makes its debut this Thanksgiving week, there’s money and music to behold.  First up, the Palm Beach Symphony has hired its first ever Development Director in its 41-year history. Then there’s Chloe Flower who’s released an album of holiday music composed by women. It’s called She Composed – The Holidays.   […]

The SBI at the New York Philharmonic

There is always much concern about the future audiences for classical music. The New York Philharmonic may have found the solution.  It’s their 100-year-old Young People’s Concerts.  A new one is coming up this month called the Young People’s Concert: Symphonies! Stories! Sibelius! It’ll tell an elaborate and fictional tale about the investigation of Sibelius’ Second […]