Thursday, October 4, 2007

Robert Nathaniel Dett 125th Anniversary Celebration and American Music Festival


    [Listen to the Lambs: The Music of R. Nathaniel Dett; Nathaniel Dett Chorale; Brainerd Blyden-Taylor, Artistic Director; Marquis Classics / EMI Music Canada CDC 81293-2]

    Beginning Oct. 10, 2007, Chattanooga, Tennessee will be the scene of a series of musical programs celebrating the 125th Anniversary of the birth of R. (Robert) Nathaniel Dett, as well as an American Music Festival. R. Nathaniel Dett was an African American composer, pianist and choral director, born in what is now Niagara Falls, Ontario, on Oct. 11, 1882. He moved to the U.S. with his family as a child.

    Dett, who served as Choral Director at Hampton Institute from 1913-1932, is profiled at AfriClassical.com The 125th
    Anniversary Celebration and American Music Festival will take place at several venues from Wednesday, Oct. 10 – Saturday, Nov. 3. Among the performing ensembles will be one formed to carry on the choral legacy of R. Nathaniel Dett, the Nathaniel Dett Chorale of Toronto. The following information is from Reverberations, the Newsletter of The National Association of Negro Musicians, whose website is www.nanm.org:

    Wednesday, Oct. 10, 5:30-6:30 P.M., Reception for Leon Bates, Pianist; Vilma Fields Atrium, Chattanooga African American Museum
    Thursday, Oct. 11, 1:40 P.M., Lecture-Recital: In the Bottoms Suite (Dett); Charles Pettaway, Jr., Pianist; Roland Hayes Recital Hall, UT-Chattanooga
    Thursday, Oct. 11, 8:00 P.M., Chattanooga Symphony American Music Concert; Robert Bernhard, Conductor; Leon Bates, Guest Pianist; Tivoli Theater
    Friday, Oct. 12, 8:00 P.M.,
    Dett Choral Festival; Roland Hayes Concert Hall, UTC; UTC Women's Chorus, Dr. Lee Harris, Conductor; UTC Chamber Singers, Dr. Kevin Ford, Conductor; UTC Men's Chorus and the Chattanooga Society for the Preservation of African American Song, Dr. Roland M. Carter, Conductor; Wendell P. Whalum Community Chorus (Atlanta, GA), Dr. David Morrow, Conductor; For further information, please call 423-266-7728
    Thursday, Nov. 1, 7:00 P.M.,
    Lecture-Recital: “Vocal Music of R. N. Dett”; Marilyn Thompson, Soprano; Bessie Smith Hall

    Friday, Nov. 2, Nathaniel Dett Chorale (Toronto, Canada); High School Choral Clinic

    Saturday, Nov. 3, 5:00 P.M., Festival Concert; Nathaniel Dett Chorale
    (Toronto, Canada), Brainerd Blyden-Taylor, Conductor; First Baptist Church
    (Golden Gate)









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