Wednesday, January 30, 2008

AfriClassical.com in New York City Schools Music Resources for Black History Month


[Saint-Georges/Mozart String Quartets; Antares Quartet; Integral Classic INT 221.125 (2003)]

We are pleased to note that AfriClassical.com, the web companion of AfriClassical, has been listed among the Music Resources of New York City Schools for Black History Month. It can be found in Arts and Education Organizations

AfriClassical is gratified by the increasing use of the website as a Black History Month Resource, and as a Black History Resource for the entire school year, by public and parochial schools throughout the United States and Canada. We believe Black History & Classical Music have a great deal in common.

For example, Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799) was an Afro-French composer, violinist and conductor who was also France's finest fencer and the first Black officer in the French Army, serving heroically as Colonel of 1,000 volunteers of color.

Even earlier in Black History, a Black trumpeter named John Blanke served as a Royal musician for England's Kings Henry VII & VIII. Blanke's page at AfriClassical.com depicts him performing on horseback at the Westminster Tournament of 1511. A total of 52 Black composers and musicians are profiled at the website, which offers over 100 audio samples of their works.






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