Wednesday, February 11, 2009

IBIS Chamber Music Society Plays Works of William Grant Still in Arlington, Virginia Feb. 27

[Africa: Piano Music of William Grant Still; Denver Oldham, piano; Koch 3 7084 2H1 (1991)]

Free Chamber Music Concert
February 27, 2009, 7:30 – 9:30 PM
Lyon Park Community Center
Arlington, Virginia
Celebrate Black History Month with Music! The IBIS Chamber Music Society's next free concert, "Double Bill", will feature the music of William Grant Still, often referred to as the dean of African American composers. Still (1895-1978) was a prolific composer, who melded the music of his heritage with European traditions to create a unique style. He was the first African-American to conduct a major American symphony orchestra, the first to have a symphony of his own (his first symphony) performed by a leading orchestra, the first to have an opera performed by a major opera company, and the first to have an opera performed on national television. Members of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, the National Symphony and the Boston Pops will perform Still's Danzas de Panama for string quartet, his classic Summerland, and the spiritual Here's One for violin and harp. The second half of the program is devoted to another William: British composer William Alwyn. This program repeats on March 22, at the Church at Clarendon, Arlington.

Naiades for flute and harp by William Alwyn 
Winter Poems for string quartet by William Alwyn 
Lyra Angelica for harp and strings by William Alwyn 
Intermission 
Summerland by William Grant Still 
Danzas de Panama for string quartet by William Grant Still [William Grant Still is profiled at AfriClassical.com, where a complete Works List by Dr. Dominique-René de Lerma is also found]





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