Tuesday, June 8, 2010

'Darker America' of William Grant Still at Sunflower Music Festival in Topeka, Kansas June 19


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

The 24th Annual Sunflower Music Festival of Topeka, Kansas takes place from June 11-19, 2010. The Festival has announced that Darker America of William Grant Still (1895-1978) will be performed Saturday, June 19, 2010. AfriClassical requested further details, and received this reply from Judy Coder:

"Thank you for your note of interest regarding our upcoming Festival. The Still piece you mention is for full orchestra, and will be performed at 7:30 in our closing concert. The performers are listed on the Musician page of our website, http://www.sunflowermusicfestival.org/musicians.html; their photos and bios are at the bottom of that page. We are looking forward to a fabulous festival.
Warm regards,
Judy Coder
Festival Coordinator
Sunflower Music Festival"

Darker America
William Grant Still
7:30 PM
June 19, 2010
White Concert Hall
Washburn University
1700 SW College, GC 329
Topeka, Kansas

William Grant Still (1895-1978) is profiled at AfriClassical.com, where a complete Works List by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma of Lawrence University Conservatory is found. Here is an excerpt from the entry on Darker America:

Darker America, for orchestra (1925). Boston: C. C. Birchard, for the Eastman School of Music, 1928. 4, 47p. Duration: 11:58. Instrumentation: 2122 p, Eh, 1110, perc, piano, strings. Première: 1926/XI/28; New York; Aeolian Hall; International Composers’ Guild; Eugène Goossens, conductor. Won award from the Eastman School of Music. Duration: 17:00.”

“CD: Music for Westchester Symphony Orchestra; Siegfried Landau, conductor. Vox Box CSX 5157 (1996, The incredible flutist). Liner notes: Shirley Fleming.”

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