Sarah Kirkland Snider Goes Forward Into Light

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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 a few.

A Behind the Scenes Look at Treemonisha

Karen Slack sings from her Grammy winning album

Sphinx Virtuosi Performs with cellist Sterling Elliott

Neptune, New Jersey celebrates Black History Month

Apply now for the Sphinx Performance Academy

It’s Black History Month

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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 is offering Challenge Grants.

The Cliburn ends its piano competition for Amateurs.  There are plenty of other piano competitions for amateurs, like this one in Paris.

Then there’s the closing of the Kennedy Center, ordered by the President.

Here are more links to Black History Month events:

Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir

The Oakland Symphony

The Indianapolis Symphony

Song Offerings From Christopher Tin

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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 about Verdi. 

There’s also a sad story about a violinist whose violin case was too big for the overhead bin. 

Who won the largest single gift ever dedicated to one Jazz artist?

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While we look forlornly at the holiday bills as we head into tax season, there is some joy this January. 

The Grammy winning and nominated this year again Jazz pianist Sullivan Fortner is grateful and humble after winning the 300k Gilmore inaugural 2026 Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award.

Donors have nearly flooded the Washington National Opera with funds after the opera company departed the Kennedy Center. 

There are still many ways to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and many other African American leaders as we head into Black History Month. 

And oh my as George Takei would say, there’s a Star Trek version of a Mozart opera.

Here’s a link to the League Of American Orchestras Student Leadership Council. 

Zara Hudson Kozdoj Remembers Who She Is

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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 called Remember Who You Are. She found out while making the album that there were items about business that she wasn’t taught during her years at the Royal College of Music in London.  Then the fates stepped in again. 

Here are links to the competitions mentioned in the show.

Early Music America Scholarships

Bang On A Can

Opera’s Civil War

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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 21st centuries. 

Caitlin Vincent

There’s a new directory for musical instruments adapted for those would be musicians with disabilities.  Other companies and engineers are developing adaptations too. 

Apple Music Classical has made a surprising choice for it’s classical album of the year.

The Emerging Black Composers Project is back

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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 an opera about the Windrush Generation. 

The Detroit Opera presents two little known and rarely staged operas. 

The Miro Quartet debuts its first holiday album called Hearth.

The Opera Austin Festival and a Jane Austen Tribute

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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 with an album of music in honor of the 250th anniversary of the novelist’s birth.

Nathan Felix. Composer, Filmmaker

Two Things to be grateful for.  Music and Money

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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.  

Finally we ask the question:  How does your concert outfit affect perceptions of your performance? 

Kewan Smith, Director Of Development, Palm Beach Symphony

Native American Artists On the Indigenous Directory for Musical Storytelling

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In observance of National Native American Heritage Month, White Snake Projects, has introduced the Indigenous Directory for Musical Storytelling.  It names Native American musicians, artists, and crew members who are available for work. Some of them are Grammy award winners.  The co-founder and Artistic Director of White Snake Projects, Cerise Lim Jacobs says Native American artists were initially reluctant to sign up, fearing it was a scam. That’s despite the Pulitzer Prize White Snake Projects won in 2011 for the opera Madam White Snake. 

Links that may be of interest: