Zenobia Powell Perry (1908-2004), African American Composer

Judith Weingarten wrote a Comment on “Maria Corley, African American Pianist”:

This is great. Where can I buy Maria Corley's CD (on the web, as I live in Italy)?

I wrote a blog piece about Zenobia Perry in August [on Zenobia: Empress of the East] and have been dying to hear her work played. This is is my chance!

Judith November 2, 2007 6:24 AM

Judith Weingarten presents a brief biographical sketch of Zenobia Powell Perry, and notes that a website has been dedicated to her at www.ZenobiaPerry.org/ The liner notes for Soulscapes: Piano Music by African American Women; Maria Corley, piano; Troy 857 (2006) have this to say of the composer:

“Zenobia Powell Perry was born in Boley, Oklahoma, and died in Wilberforce, Ohio where she taught at Central State University from 1955 until her retirement in 1982. She was educated at the Tuskegee Institute, the University of Northern Colorado, and the University of Wyoming. Her teachers included Darius Milhaud and Robert Nathaniel Dett. She composed a mass, an opera, pieces for band and orchestra, songs, chamber works, and piano pieces. 'Homage' was written for the 90^th birthday of composer William Dawson (1899-1990) and is based on one of his favorite spirituals, 'I Been 'Buked'."