Tag Archive for: Classical Music In Colors

Requiem For America, The Native American Story

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Many orchestras and chamber groups are celebrating the 250th anniversary of America’s founding this year. 

While most of the music is a positive portrayal of the United States there is at least one musical work telling the tale of the horrific treatment of Native Americans and their lands.

The piece is Requiem For America by Mohican/Munsee-Lenape composer Brent Michael Davids.  He describes it as a searing work confronting hard truths about America’s founding. It’ll be performed by the BBC Orchestra in London this month, before its American premiere in November. 

Here are the links to the other stories mentioned in the podcast

The Mosaic Quartet
The Chevalier
The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra

Nathaniel Dett
Oakland Symphony

Vanessa, Stripped Down

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Even though operas from long ago are still being performed, there’s a movement afoot to freshen them up or to do new 21st century operas.

In the case of the 1958 opera Vanessa, a production by Heartbeat Opera is doing a stripped-down version of the Pulitzer Prize winning work. It’s directed by RB Schlather. 

At The Met, they are about to premiere a true 21st century opera by first-time opera composer and Grammy winner, Gabriela Lena Frank with a libretto by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Nilo Cruz.

Then there’s the big dispute between the Boston Symphony Orchestra and its patrons over the firing of Music Director Andris Nelsons.

Here are the links to other items mentioned in the podcast.

The Choir of Magdalen College
Yehudi Menuhin School
Cuarteto Latinoamericano

Step by Step, the Ruby Bridges Suite

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Sometimes when someone makes a suggestion to you, it kind of sticks with you.  That’s what happened to jazz artist Darrell Grant.  He decided to act on this suggestion from a friend by composing Step by Step, The Ruby Bridges Suite.  It is a piece about the 6-year-old girl who was the first African American student to integrate the New Orleans public schools in 1960. It was not without protests, or strong resistance and a teacher who ignored the noise and taught the little girl in a classroom void of any other students.

Here are the links to the stories mentioned in the podcast.

Michael Tilson Thomas
Artists From Abroad
Black Lives In Music

Artists From Abroad

Bluey
Musical Mayhem

Music About The Earth

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In honor of Earth Month, April, more than a few composers have released albums about their love of our home planet, and their anxiety about its health.

This week’s episode features three of those albums.

UNDREAMED SHORES, THE ELASTIC HEART OF YOUTH AND WHAT IS NOIS

These are links to the competitions and opportunities mentioned in the podcast.

League Digital Workshop Every Student, Every Voice

The Azrieli Music, Arts and Culture Centre

Apply Now for an EMA Engagement Award

Keep Music In Your Life And Dementia Might Never Come

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There have been several studies on the effect of music on mental health.  This is especially true with the elderly.  A long running study out of Monash University in Melbourne, Australia is finding that dementia may be delayed in the over 70 set if music is in their lives.

Dr. Joanne Ryan is the co-author of the study.

Links to other items mentioned in the podcast.

The Sound Of Silent Film Festival The Gateways Music Festival

Composer Chinary Ung stays close to his Cambodian Roots

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Composer Chinary Ung has been composing music for 60 plus years.  His compositions are heavily affected by his childhood in Cambodia and the deadly events that happened  there back in the mid 1970’s.  But he says he’s blessed that he was able to come to America in the 1960’s to study the western style of music. Many of his compositions will be performed at the Miller Theater at Columbia University School of the Arts in its Composer Portraits series on March 26th. 

Here are the links to the other events mentioned in the podcast.

Castle of our Skins – Two Positions

Misty Copeland on Timothée Chalamet

LA MAESTRA 2026

Composer Kaylen Prince of Houston

African Children’s Choir

The African Concert Series Celebrates Its 8th Season of African Classical Music.

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It took pianist Rebeca Omordia 8 years to create the African Concert Series in London.  She was even told that African classical music wasn’t really classical at all, nor would anyone want to listen to it. The series is very popular now.  So much so that Wigmore Hall in London has gifted Omordia a residency at the world class venue. 

Here are links to events mentioned in the podcast:

Timothée Chalamet & Matthew McConaughey

Cincinnati Pops Orchestra  album Harlem Renaissance

Toy Music Festival in Seoul

Teach Music Week

A Hero’s Life Meets The Old And The New With A World Premiere Recording

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Conductor and Music Director JoAnn Falletta of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra has fulfilled a dream.  She’s released A Hero’s Life.  The album has two pieces, one from Richard Strauss and another that’s a world premiere recording of Behzad Ranjbaran’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra.  Falletta is also releasing another edition of her book of poetry, Love Letters to Music. This is in addition to the upcoming full length documentary about her nearly 30-year career at the Buffalo Philharmonic. 

Here are the links to events mentioned in the podcast. 

Denyce Graves Foundation Behind the Curtain and Sounds of Hope

Time To Act, the opera about school shootings at the Pittsburgh Opera.

The American Lyric Theater’s concert version of Tevye’s Daughters

The Word Network is airing celebration of life services live for Rev. Jesse Jackson.

It’s Primary season. The first one is/was March 3rd, 2026. Find out here when your state is holding its primaries.

Castrato Nicolo Grimaldi Gets His Due Via Randall Scotting

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When you think of countertenors what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? 

Randall Scotting, a countertenor, sees himself as a preserver of this unique male voice. He’s releasing the album Divine Impresario to celebrate one of the most popular castrato opera singers of the 17th and 18th centuries. His name is Nicolini.

 

Cancellations at the Kennedy Center continue even as the building is set to close for renovations.

The San Antonio (Texas) Philharmonic shuts down with hopes of returning someday.

Here are the links mentioned in the podcast for mentoring programs.

League of American Orchestras Applications now open for their Essentials of Orchestra Management program. 

The Pegasus Opera Company in London is looking for opera singers. 

Rachel Barton Pine and the Suzuki Strings

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In these last few weeks of Black History Month, there are still many more events celebrating Black excellence. One such event is with violinist Rachel Barton Pine, who founded the series “Music by Black Composers” as part of her foundation, the Rachel Barton Pine Foundation. She did it to advance opportunities to study and perform works by Black composers. Pine performs with the Madison Symphony in Wisconsin this coming week with a group of young people, the Suzuki Strings, performing the music of some Black classical composers.

Here are the links mentioned in the podcast:

The email to Kennedy Center Staff

Internships and Fellowships at the National Museum of African American Music

The 2026 Grammy Music Educator Award