Judlyne Lilly Gibson – The Second Street Dreams Audio Network

Step by Step, the Ruby Bridges Suite

April 28, 2026/0 Comments/in Classical Music In Color/by Judlyne Lilly

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.

Artists From Abroad

Black Lives In Music

Artists From Abroad

Music About The Earth

April 20, 2026/0 Comments/in Classical Music In Color/by Judlyne Lilly

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

April 1, 2026/in Classical Music In Color/by Judlyne Lilly

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

Bertha Sadler Means Orchestra Students Presentation by Judlyne Lilly Gibson

March 28, 2026/in Classical Music In Color/by Judlyne Lilly

Bertha Sadler Means Presentation video with creditDownload

You can either DOWNLOAD this to your device, OR , RIGHT CLICK on the download button and the video should come up and start playing.

NEW TIMES by Judlyne A Lilly

March 21, 2026/in Feeding Thespis/by Judlyne Lilly

This play, set in 1967, is about the first African American manager of a dormitory at a prestigious women’s college.

THE CAST OF NEW TIMES

SHANNA RICHARDS – DIANE MARSHALL

DEANDRA CHANDLER – SAGE JOHNSON

VIVIAN GLAUER – HORTENSE AMSTEN

NATALIA RIOS – MOLLY HARGROVE

JULIETTE QUITA – RAINE TAYLOR

KRISTEN MORLEY – NARRATOR

Rachel Barton Pine and the Suzuki Strings

February 17, 2026/in Classical Music In Color/by Judlyne Lilly

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

Sarah Kirkland Snider Goes Forward Into Light

February 10, 2026/in Classical Music In Color/by Judlyne Lilly

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

February 2, 2026/in Classical Music In Color/by Judlyne Lilly

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

Zara Hudson Kozdoj Remembers Who She Is

January 11, 2026/in Classical Music In Color/by Judlyne Lilly

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.