Charles Darden: 'an authority on the life and music of the ragtime composer Scott Joplin'

[Photo of Charles Darden at Bonchoeur.blogspot.com]

Charles Darden posted a comment today on “Darryl Taylor Offers Condolences On Passing of Composer Hale Smith”: “I will always remember Hale Smith's encouraging words and advice to me as a young black conductor. He also urged to write and perform 'Great Scott!' the story of the life of Scott Joplin, which I continue to perform. Thank you Hale. Charles Darden”

Bonchoeur.blogspot.com/
Charles Darden Bio
March 7, 2008
Charles Darden is Director of Music of the Anglican Church, and Director of La Chorale De Bons Choeurs, on the island of St. Barts in the Caribbean French West Indies. He is a graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He grew up in California and was the founder and conductor of the Berkeley Free Orchestra. In 1970, Seiji Ozawa appointed him Apprentice Conductor to the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Later, he was twice a Conducting Fellow at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra where he studied with Leonard Bernstein. In 1975, Lorin Maazel appointed him Conducting Assistant to the Cleveland Orchestra. He was later appointed Musical Director of the Ballet Rambert in London and later Principal Conductor of the Dance Theater of Harlem in New York. He was a frequent guest conductor in Europe, primarily in Norway, where he was a regular conductor with the Den Norske Opera. He is an accomplished pianist and has appeared as Jasbo Brown in the Metropolitan Opera's production of Porgy and Bess. Mr. Darden is an authority on the life and music of the ragtime composer Scott Joplin. He wrote the one-man show Great Scott! outlining the life of the ragtime composer Scott Joplin. [Full Post]