Tag Archive for: Judlyne Lilly Gibson

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

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

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

The SBI at the New York Philharmonic

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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 Symphony written by classical music expert and writer Lauren Rico.

Music By, For, And About Veterans

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With the federal government shut down, (as of this writing)  it’s difficult to say if there will be a federal observance of Veteran’s Day on November 11th. 

So, In gratitude for their service, the podcast this week is all about the music composed to honor them.

The men and one woman featured in this show are just a few of the Veteran composers who wrote music for and about Veterans.  One piece was composed and performed while the composer was in a POW camp.

Betsy Listenfelt, William Grant Still, Aaron Copland, Gustav Holst, Olivier Messiaen

There is also a piece about Native American Heritage Month.

THE WAY OF WATER

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When you took your shower today did you think about where the water came from?  The source of it?  Probably Not.  There’s at least one arts organization in Austin, Forklift Danceworks,  led by Allison Orr, who wants you to know and maybe learn how to help keep the clean water flowing.

Allison Orr, Founder and Artistic Director of Forklift Danceworks in Austin, Texas

INVISIBLE PLAYER

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While we all get accustomed to Classical Music in ColorS, let’s move on to Segment 2 of 2 of the October 2025 edition.

This time we’re talking about a woman who was, most likely, the first African American hired by an American mainstream orchestra, the 93-year-old South Bend, Indiana Symphony Orchestra.

Her name is Rosemary Sanders, whose name and some of her history was found as many items are, hidden in the orchestra’s archives. 

This discovery shocked Dr. Marvin Curtis, the head of Arts Equity and Public Art in South Bend and Justus Zimmerman, of the Austin, Texas Symphony, formerly of the South Bend Symphony orchestra.

Both men decided to produce a documentary about Sanders called Invisible Player. It focuses on Sanders and other Black classical musicians, some of whom who are still facing difficulties.

Now it’s CLASSICAL MUSIC IN COLORS

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Welcome to a new version of Classical Music in Color.  The first change?  The name.  It’s now plural, CLASSICAL MUSIC IN COLORS.  This is the result of Staccato; my other podcast being cancelled by the radio station that aired it for 10 plus years.  I’m folding Staccato into Classical Music In Colors. 

The second change.  Segments.  I’ll be producing one new segment with one topic a week.

This first segment of the new Classical Music In Colors is about supporters, donors and volunteers who’ve stepped up to help arts organizations who are no longer receiving grants from the National Endowment For the Arts/Humanities. 

As an example we focus on Castle Of Our Skins, a Boston based African American organization promoting classical music composers.  They were able to hold their annual MassQ Ball thanks to donations from people like you.    

Ciyadh Wells – General Director of Castle Of Our Skins.

Let me know what you think of the changes.

Meet Arcoriris Sandoval – A Jazz Pianist

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Jazz pianist and composer ArcoIris Sandoval spent her summer all over the place.  We met her in July at the Zinc Bar in New York’s The Village where she was performing over a couple of nights before heading off to Massachusetts and other venues around the country.    Sandoval took the time to learn more about her craft with her master’s degree in jazz piano performance from the Manhattan School of Music.  In 2018, she released her debut Sonic Asylum Trio album entitled “First Voyage” which won a Global Music Award In 2018.  She has also earned respect from long time jazz performers.  So much so that George Cables performs her  original composition “Journey to Agartha on his latest album “I Hear Echoes”.