A companion to AfriClassical.com, a website on African Heritage in Classical Music. Meet 52 Black composers and musicians, take a Black History Quiz and hear over 100 audio samples at the site.
Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival
is an intense 11 day summer program devoted to performance excellence
and career development. Since 2010, over 500 participants have been a
part of our festival. Help us continue this tradition!
You Make The Difference!
The Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival is an initiative of the
Imani Winds Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3 arts institution whose mission is to make meaningful connections through music.
Please consider a tax deductible donation of any amount.
Contributions via check should be made payable to Imani Winds Foundation, INC.
and sent to
Imani Winds Foundation, 123 West 128th St., Apt. 1, New York, NY 10027
Greetings and welcome to this week's episode of Arts Engines,
in partnership with Detroit Public Television, Ovation TV, The Violin
Channel and American Public Media including Performance Today and
YourClassical. Arts Engines seeks to share the most valuable advice and
input from arts administrators who tell their stories of creative
problem-solving, policy, economic impact, crisis management and
empowering the future of our field.
This week's guest is Victoria Robey OBE, Chairman of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Founder of London Music Masters. Enjoy... and have a creative week!
Michael
Cooper PhD is professor of music at Southwestern University, Georgetown,
Texas. His research includes previously unknown but recently published
compositions by Margaret Bonds and Florence Price. MusicUNTOLD is
currently reviewing these edited compositions for performances in Los
Angeles. Additionally, I am also greatly appreciative to learn from
Michael Cooper about a paper by Philip A. Ewell PhD titled MUSIC THEORY
and the WHITE RACIAL FRAME. See https://musictheoryswhiteracialframe.wordpress.com/
From an early age, as I was first enrolled in piano lessons, I was
quick to realize that there were not (m)any other young black pianists
who were learning how to play classical music – at least that I had ever
met. Fast forward a couple of decades, and nothing has changed. No “growth of the sport”, no “catering to a wider audience”.
There are so many ways this writing can go… is it a question of the
chicken/egg concept (i.e. is there a lack of interest in classical music
within the black community because it is so underrepresented at the
highest levels/”misunderstood music”/etc., or is the lack of
representation yet another form of systemic discouragement towards some
groups of society)?
I have always loved everything classical music has to offer – from a
seemingly endless expanse of amazing music spanning hundreds of years,
while providing those who choose to play it a parallel variety of
technical, musical, and ideological challenges. No matter how many
hours of practice, there will always be more work to do and new heights
to reach. Delving into the diverse works of J.S. Bach and Domenico
Scarlatti could by themselves cost a lifetime of exploration, let alone
engaging into the oeuvres of Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms,
and beyond. As “musically gifted” as I was told to be when I was young,
there were so many other pianists who seemed to be light years ahead of
what I thought I could ever achieve. Therein remained the goal to
improve and become the best version of my musical self that I could be.
Luke Welch performing at the Embassy Festival in the Netherlands
While I was committed to my own improvements, and those my piano
teachers laid out for me, I was often met with equal confusion,
resentment, discouragement, and sometimes straight-up disdain from
others around me. I don’t “look” the part of a classical musician, nor
do I talk as such (whatever that means). I have often been told –
especially during my time living abroad – to perhaps switch my musical
focus to something more in my lane, such as jazz music. I have even
been stopped from entering a concert venue in which I was the performer
until I was able to convince the unidentified individual (thankfully not
the concert promoter!) to actually look at the advertising poster to
confirm that I should even be allowed inside the building. In another
instance I was questioned, while at a music store looking for recordings
of pieces I was intending to prepare and perform, as to whether the
music I sought was actually for me. Once stated that I, too, am a
classically-trained musician, the look of shock was also followed by the
comment “Wow, you definitely can’t judge a book by its cover!”
“Wow, you definitely can’t judge a book by its cover!”
The amount of restraint it took to not lose my temper in that moment
took every fibre of my being. I remember discussing the situation with
my father shortly afterwards, and was even more disheartened to hear his
sincere, yet candidly matter-of-fact response: “Well, son, get used to
it.” Unfortunately, he was one hundred percent correct.
During
all of my academic years, from elementary school through university, I
did not encounter a single other black pianist. This interesting
observation extends not only at my own schools, but also to
competitions, professional performances, piano masterclasses, or any
other musical environment. It was not something I dwelt on at the time,
as I was so preoccupied with building my own career and completing my
education that I didn’t have the time to be as cognizant as I probably
should have been. I only tended to notice the imbalance when people
would bring it up to me in conversation as they were meeting me for the
first time at my own performances.
Once the proverbial light bulb *finally* went off in my head, I
realized the stakes were much higher than simply accomplishing great
feats at the instrument and making a name for myself. I also came to
understand and appreciate that I represented a community within the
community – and by that I mean being a black classical musician (see:
unicorn) in an already marginalized society (and yes, I admit that
those who immerse themselves within the classical music community tend
to be pigeon-holed as being on the fringes of mainstream). Not
only was it – and still is – of paramount importance to be at my best on
stage, but it was imperative to remain aware that the lights, camera,
and attention may not necessarily stop for me just because the
performance is over.
…it was imperative to remain aware that the lights, camera, and
attention may not necessarily stop for me just because the performance
is over.
I am not one to theorize whether or not my ethnicity impacts my
career opportunities, nor do I care. It’s rather quite the opposite. I
believe that quality will always succeed, so as long as I continue to
prepare well, push myself to be a better musician tomorrow than I am
today, maintain a respectful attitude, and appreciate the incredible
support from everyone around me and those who have contributed to my
career, the rest will take care of itself. I make no secret – diving
even deeper into the seemingly infinite pool of classical music,
travelling the world, seeing new places, meeting new people, performing,
recording albums: these are among the many things that continue to fuel
my passion for making music. If part of the job description involves
being an ambassador of sorts, I fully welcome the opportunity every
time, especially if it has the potential to encourage more young black
individuals to explore a world they may not otherwise know exists, or
feel entirely comfortable stepping into at first. It is a wonderful
feeling to do what you love, regardless of perception as the next
classical unicorn – or more importantly, as the next wonderful musician
and human being.
The same sentiments hold true in between performances as well. As an
independent artist, I have continued to focus the majority of my waking
hours on building the practical component of my career – concerts and
international travel to destinations around the world to share my music
with others. Simultaneously, I have focused on teaching as well –
working with students of all ages and abilities – first in Europe, and
now here in Canada as well. It has been a long-standing dream of mine
(again, no major revelation) to achieve a position within a
higher-education institution such as a college or university – working
with students who possess the highest level of talent, passion, and
dedication to their art the way I also did.
It’s incredible how many positions just like these continue to be
filled with faces and backgrounds which look remarkably the same. How
many institutions in this vast expanse of the Great White North
employ any teachers/professors/music educators who look anywhere
similar to me? How long will this trend continue? Even as recently as a
month or so ago, I applied for an associate professorship at a
university not far from where I live where not only did I meet the
outlined qualifications outlined in the job post, but I anticipated that
my educational background in multiple continents in addition to my
performance and teaching experience would have at very least warranted a
cursory response. Unfortunately, there was not even so much as an
acknowledgement to my follow-up let alone an invitation for a
conversation. Gullible, yet optimistic, I remain for the next coveted
opportunity.
Gullible, yet optimistic, I remain for the next coveted opportunity.
My intention is to share some of my experiences with those who are
willing to read about them, and maybe in some way can relate. Let us
continue to live side by side in melody and harmony. Let us continue to
learn from each other. Let us continue to come together (with the
perfect excuse!) for our shared love of music. Stay healthy and safe!
This week's episode celebrates the life and music of Florence Price, premieres on Sunday, August 2
Who is Florence Price?
Written and illustrated by the Special Music School Middle School
It's hard to believe, but our last Playdate episode
of the summer is finally here - and its a big one! Orli Shaham's Bach
Yard is teaming up with Kaufman Music Center's Special Music School
Middle School to celebrate the life and music of Florence Price.The video premieres on Sunday, August 2, 2020 at 11 am EDT on Kaufman Music Center’s website.
The episode centers around a
book about the life of composer Florence Price that was written and
illustrated by middle school students at Kaufman Music Center's Special
Music School. Orli Shaham will read the book aloud, share the stunning
illustrations, and present performances of Price’s music by SMS
students. Selections include Ticklin' Toes, The Goblin and the Mosquito, and Adoration.
Florence B. Price
Born
in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1887, Florence Price was a composer,
pianist, organist, and music teacher. She composed orchestral music from
symphonies to concertos, as well as chamber music, choral music, and
even arrangements of spirituals. When the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
premiered her 1st Symphony on June 15, 1933, Ms. Price became the first
African-American woman to have her composition performed by a major
symphony orchestra!
The Florence Price Playdate episode premieres Sunday, August 2 at 11:00 am EDTon Kaufman Music Center's website
.
All Playdate episodes are archived for on-demand viewing. Bach Yard Playdates is presented byKaufman Music Center. This
series is especially for children up to early elementary, but every
member of the household – human or animal, stuffed, or not – will enjoy
this fun and unique series.
Darryl Taylor retweets: @umichsmtd: These @NatOperaAssoc videos comprise an oral history of the groundbreaking careers of African-American artists. Watch some incredible personal narratives about contributions made by African-American artists to the field of opera in our Legacy Project's Oral History initiative! https://noa.org/legacy_history
Famed soprano Latonia Moore will make her virtual company debut with the LA Opera in a recital featuring music from Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin,” Puccini’s “Edgar,” songs by Rachmaninoff, and music by American composer Wintter Watts. She will be accompanied by Roberto Berrocal.
Hear our President & Artistic Director Afa S. Dworkin's message and apply!
Sphinx Calls for Applications: DEI Grant Support
To
propel our mission of transforming lives through the power of diversity
in the arts, the Sphinx Organization is now accepting grant
applications for the Sphinx Venture Fund.
Sphinx
will invest up to $300,000 to catalyze initiatives designed to solve a
challenge related to cultural diversity in the sphere of the performing
arts, with an emphasis on classical music. A
small number of proposals are selected each year with an average grant
size of $50,000 – $100,000. Eligible Ventures will be executed in
collaboration with or on behalf of an existing 501(c)(3) organization
In this episode, Aaron sits down with Dean of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University, Steven Tepper – as they discuss the inescapable need for the arts.
“If we don’t take seriously that people live in a symbolic world …
and expression and narrative and story and song, poetry … that all of
that is essential to how we navigate and understand? Then we’re always
only going to have half the solution,” Steven Tepper has this week said.
