Two composers and musicians, George Lewis and Harald Kisiedu have gathered some of today’s composers and musicologists in a book of essays called Composing While Black. There are nine essays in the book that talk about their experiences composing, performing and being in a world that isn’t always welcoming to Black musicians, classical or otherwise.
George Lewis and Harald Kisiedu
Regarding the items mentioned in the podcast:
Rosalyn Aninyei is doing her best to create and maintain a world class orchestra in her home country of Nigeria. Florence Price is getting the festival treatment at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Blake-Anthony Johnson talks about his path to become the first African American to be the CEO of a world-renowned orchestra, the Chicago Sinfonietta.
There’s a new album of music by Florence Price and William Dawson via the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Here’s a link to the Margaret Bonds Symposium at Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Even the Artistic Director and Founder of Conspirare, Craig Hella Johnson, finds it hard to believe that the choral ensemble is 30 years old. He’s developed a fall season that’s kind of eclectic with a nod to the past and an eye on the future. One choral group is being invited back for the holiday program. It’s Isaac Cates & Ordained who will, says Johnson, bridge the past with the future.
There’s good news about the progress of the once dilapidated National Opera House in Pittsburgh.
We honor the life and career of Pianist Andre Watts with good friend and colleague Norman Krieger.
There’s a new debut album from Sphinx Virtuosi called Songs for Our Times.
Bass player Joseph Conyers is making history again with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Conductor Jonathon Heyward has picked up another job.
The Hastings International Piano Competition in England is looking for applicants. So is the Sphinx Competition. There’s also a competition for UK only groups called the Music and Drama Education awards.
With summer almost over and school starting soon, there’s one more fun item that your children might appreciate. Teachers can take advantage of it too. It’s Carnegie Hall Kids. This voluminous website offers games, quizzes, musical maps and more for children to play with.
Carnegie Hall Education Director Sarah Johnson says if the kids get a bit of musical education, while playing, that’s okay too.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be featuring my summer reading list on Staccato. The first one is about composer Tina Davidson, whose complicated life can be heard in her music. Her biological Mother adopted her in Sweden back in the 1950’s but never told her. There are other surprising revelations as well in Davidson’s book Let Your Heart Be Broken. You can listen to her playlist from the book here.
Grief is a heavy burden to carry. Composer Curtis Stewart has composed music expressing the devastation he feels over his mother’s death. He calls the album OF LOVE and has released a video for one of the tracks DRIFT TO WAKE.
There’s an update on Ralph Yarl, the 16 year old who was shot twice when he went to the wrong house.
We say goodbye to Soprano Grace Bumbry who went beyond the white curtain.
Performances coming up this month include the Harlem Chamber Players presents, Harlem Songfest 2. The opera SHE WHO DARED from the American Lyric Theater.
The Dallas Symphony is looking for applicants for its first Diversity Fellowship Program. Afros and Audio Podcast Festival is calling for speaker submissions.
The Lewis Prize for Music wants organizations investing in music programs for young people to apply for a grant.
In what may be a first, there’s The Oxford Book of Choral Music by Black Composers. It was edited and curated by conductor, educator, and composer Marques L. A. Garrett. Listen to the music here.
Pamela Dawson of Desoto High School in Texas revels in her win as the 2023 Grammy Music Educator of the Year.
Apply to enter the J.S. Bach Competition.
Composers might want to enter the American Composers Forum Spring National Call.
The Black British Classical Foundation is celebrating the coronation of King Charles III with a concert.
