·· Valerie Coleman, Flute
·· Toyin Spellman-Diaz, Oboe
·· Mariam Adam, Clarinet
·· Jeff Scott, French Horn
·· Monica Ellis, Bassoon
DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN
A companion to AfriClassical.com, a website on African Heritage in Classical Music.
·· Valerie Coleman, Flute
·· Toyin Spellman-Diaz, Oboe
·· Mariam Adam, Clarinet
·· Jeff Scott, French Horn
·· Monica Ellis, Bassoon
DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN
David Bukszpan is Publicist for WNYC Radio. He tells Africlassical of a New York classical music broadcast on weekday evenings which is streamed on the Internet: “Terrance McKnight is the host of 'Evening Music,' a classical music program that airs from 7pm-11pm on WNYC, the nation’s largest public radio station. The program also streams live at http://www.wnyc.org, so many listeners outside of New York tune in.” The program highlights for Feb. 24 began: “Songs of Separation: We hear William Grant Still's powerful setting of five related works by African American poets in 'Songs of Separation.'"
“In addition to his radio work, McKnight was also a member of the Morehouse College faculty, where he taught music appreciation and applied piano since 1998. An accomplished pianist, McKnight got his start in public radio as the first resident of NPR's Classical Music Diversity Initiative Program, for which he worked at NPR's Performance Today. In 1997, McKnight performed the world premiere of 'Broke Baroque,' at the National Black Music Caucus 25th Anniversary Celebration in Atlanta as part of a musical tribute to T.J. Anderson. McKnight holds a B.A. from Morehouse, where he toured with the College Glee Club as an accompanist and soloist, and an M.A. in Music from Georgia State University, where he performed with the 20th Century Chamber Ensemble.
Terrance McKnight“Under the leadership of the renowned composer and educator William Levi Dawson, the Tuskegee Choir rose to international prominence with appearances at Radio City Music Hall in New York, the White House (1932), Constitution Hall (1946), and a host of popular television shows.” “The Spring 2009 Tour program includes works by Joseph Haydn, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Frank Ticheli, Maurice Duruflé, Ulysses Kay, Adolphus Hailstork and William L. Dawson.”
A list of selected CDs on the Celso Machado page at AfriClassical.com includes: “Imagens do Nordeste; (Excerpts): Catgut Flambo; Harris Becker, Pasquale Bianculli, guitar; Msr 21699 (1999).” Guitarist Pat Bianculli of Brooklyn has left a message in the Guest Book at AfriClassical.com: “Thank you for including on your page for the composer/guitarist, Celso Machado, a reference to our recording of Imagens do Nordeste. It is an honor to have our performance noted on your pages. Machado is a wonderful composer.”
Celso Machado is an Afro-Brazilian composer, guitarist, lyricist and singer who was born in Ribeiro Preto, Brazil on January 27, 1953. He has a website of his own, http://www.CelsoMachado.com The works he writes and performs are played by guitarists in both classical and world music genres. At age seven Celso began performing in street bands. He first performed in Canada in 1986; he moved there three years later. Celso's many CDs consist of music composed by himself and others. On Nov. 24, 2008 AfriClassical reported: “'Jogo da Vida' Makes Celso Machado World Solo Artist in 2008 Canadian Folk Music Awards”.
AfriClassical recently posted “Two World Premieres of Regina Harris Baiocchi at ETHS 125th Anniversary Feb. 24”. Today we received this message of thanks: “Dear Bill: Many, many thanks for all you do to make AfriClassical alive and available to the world. Your hard work means so much to me and posterity. All the best... Peace, Regina” http://www.ReginaHarrisBaiocchi.com; http://www.HaikuFest.com
The program will open with the festive “American Celebration Overture” by the 20th century American composer, Bill Holcombe. Holcombe’s compositional credits include film scores, original compositions and many arrangements for concert band, orchestra and jazz band. This concert also will include a performance of a work by the iconic American composer, Charles Ives, “Unanswered Question,” and the magnificent “Afro-American Symphony” by the important African American composer, William Grant Still. [Full Post] [William Grant Still (1895-1978) is profiled at AfriClassical.com, where a complete Works List by Dr. Dominique-René de Lerma is also found]
“'No. 1, we are present in American music,' Curtis says about what he hopes the audience learns at Saturday’s concert. 'No. 2, these are people you need to know about. There’s a history there. … When I was in college, we didn’t study black composers. They’re not in the history books. We don’t talk about them. This is a way of talking about a group of people, males and females, who have contributed much to society who are often ignored.' The program includes works by such black composers as William Grant Still, Margaret Bonds, Richard Smallwood, Noble Sissie, Hall Johnson and Moses Hogan. The Symphonic Choir, for example, will perform the Latin choral work 'Ave Maria' by R. Nathaniel Dett, a composer, pianist and educator who, inspired by Antonin Dvorák’s use of folk melodies, combined the spiritual with classical music’s Romantic style in the early 20th century.” [Full Post] [Margaret A. Bonds (1913-1972), R. Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943) and William Grant Still (1895-1978) are profiled at AfriClassical.com]
Labels: IUSB, Lift Every Voice, Marvin V. Curtis, South Bend Tribune
A program entitled “Music by Composers of the African Diaspora” will be presented by the
Ghanaian-American Pianist William Chapman Nyaho at (1) Phelps Stokes Auditorium, Berea College, Berea, Kentucky, Thursday, Feb. 26 at 8:00 p.m. (2) Cedarhurst Chamber Music Series, Mt. Vernon, Illinois, Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m. The RichmondRegister.com writes “Ghanaian-American concert pianist Nyaho brings his unique cultural background and extraordinarily eclectic sense of music to his concert recitals in Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States.” Dr. William Chapman Nyaho tells AfriClassical: “The program starts off with Beethoven op. 31 no. 3 then music by Price, Lamothe, Onovwerosuoke, El Dabh, Ndodana and Bonds.” [Margaret Allison Bonds, Ludovic Lamothe, William Chapman Nyaho and Florence B. Price are profiled at AfriClassical.com]