[George Shirley, University of Michigan Emeritus Professor of Voice]
In an article published Feb. 15, 2008, Wes Blomster, Classical Music Critic for DailyCamera.com, writes about a concert at the University of Colorado at Boulder to honor Black Classical Musicians.
Frederick Peterbark is a graduate student at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is producer of the concert, and says he has long appreciated Marian Anderson's role as a musician of color who overcame racial barriers. Here are some excerpts from the article:
“The Feb. 24 event will honor eight African-Americans with distinguished careers in music, including George Shirley, Peterbark's teacher at the University of Michigan. Shirley was the first black tenor to sing leading roles at the Met. The list of those to be honored by the concert is a who's who of blacks in music in the decades since Anderson made history.
Three on the list have died: Anderson; Todd Duncan, the first Porgy in Gershwin's opera; and composer William Grant Still, the first black composer to have a work performed by -- and to conduct -- a major American orchestra. The others are alive and -- for the most part -- still active in music.”
In addition, the concert will honor Mattiwilda Dobbs, Shirley Verret, Leontyne Price and Grace Bumbry.
“The final work on the program is the Colorado premiere of Ozie Cargile's 'Creation of the Universe.' 'Cargile was born in Detroit in 1980,' Peterbark says. 'And I've chosen this score to stress that the history of blacks in music is a book not yet finished.
'It's a living legacy of performers and composers who remain pioneers.'
Cargile is composer-in-residence for the program.” Full Article
Ozie+Cargile" rel="tag">Ozie Cargile
George Shirley+warming" rel="tag">George ShirleyMattiwilda+Dobbs" rel="tag">Mattiwilda DobbsShirley+Verret" rel="tag">Shirley VerretGrace+Bumbry" rel="tag">Grace BumbryBlack+History" rel="tag">Black History
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