'the audience became spellbound with Mr. Ayers' exceptionally warm, lyrical and incredibly passionate cello playing.'

[Cello Soloist Nathaniel Ayers performs with Afro-American Chamber Music Society Orchestra under direction of Janise White, Conductor]

On June 17 AfriClassical posted a concert announcement at the request of Prof. Janise White of West Los Angeles College: “Afro-American Chamber Music Society: 'An Evening With Nathaniel Ayers' 4pm June 25, Smyrna SDA Church, L.A.”

AfriClassical has received this review of the performance from Prof. White:

“Mr. Nathaniel Ayers was the featured soloist with the Afro-American Chamber Music Society Orchestra conducted by Professor Janise White on a program of Black Symphonists on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at 4:00 pm at the Smyrna Seventh-day Adventist Church located at 4394 West Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. The orchestra played music chronicling the development of the Black symphonists from the 1500's to the present. During Mr. Ayers' performance, of The Swan by Camille Saint-Saens and Summerland (Three Visions) by William Grant Still, the audience became spellbound with Mr. Ayers' exceptionally warm, lyrical and incredible passionate cello playing. There was such complete silence during this performance that someone had to shout bravo to break the spell!

“The Concert opened with two riveting masterpieces, 'Danse Negre' by the British Symphonist, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor followed by 'Sinfonia in D' by French Symphonist, Le Chevalier de Saint- Georges which the orchestra played brilliantly! Other works on the program, 'The Hippocratic Oath' composed by Stephen James Taylor received a spectacular performance by three outstanding Sopranos, Dr. Eleanor Ferguson Marshalleck, Carol Wooten and Gertrude Bradley who performed with poignant integrity. This work was originally composed for his sister, Dr. Caroly Taylor-Olson and two other medical school graduates' voice recital. Stephen James Taylor says 'My style is 21st century eclectic, drawing from the classical free atonality of the 20th century as well as other broad ranging traditions.'

“Janise White premiered, a symphonic poem on 'Swing Low' for orchestra which brought the audience to their feet. The Bass from the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers, Ralph Pettiford nobly sang 'I Could Do Anything' from the musical 'Transfigured Blues' by composer/conductor Milton Williams with immense power and emotional depth. The concert was supported in part by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. If you missed the performance, go to the links of the Afro-American Chamber Music Society for future events:

last.fm/music/Afro-American+Chamber+Society and experiencela.com. [Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799), Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) and William Grant Still (1895-1978) are profiled at AfriClassical.com]