Thursday, August 9, 2012

The Afro-American Chamber Music Society and Guest Artists: An Afternoon with William Grant Still


Presented by La Señora Institute, Ray Dean Mize, Music Director

The Afro-American Chamber Music Society Orchestra String Quartet under the direction of its Founder, pianist Professor Janise White, performed a concert of the music of acclaimed African-American composer William Grant Still, on July 15th in the La Señora Institute in Santa Monica Canyon.

The Quartet musicians were Janise White, piano; Jeff Corwin, violin; Crystal Alforque, violin; Cliff Goodrich, viola; Benton Preciado, cello; with guest artist Gordon Halligan, flute.

The guest vocal artists were Zohar Hernandez-Carr, tenor; and Keith Borden, tenor; with piano accompanist Fides May Le Roy. 

The William Grant Still program included: 'Brambelele e espinin garda', 'Summerland', 'Blues from Lenox Avenue', 'The Quiet One', 'Weeping Angel' (vocal), 'What Does He Know of Dreams' (vocal), 'Here's One' (vocal), 'Sinner Please Don't Let this Harvest Pass' (vocal).

After the intermission, 'Danzas de Panama' was introduced by Elisabeth Waldo the ethnomusicologist who worked with Still on this very popular piece, providing him with the themes from traditional music.

The highlight of the program was  the Afro-American Chamber Music Society  who played with seamless precision executing every nuance of the Latin rhythms in Danzas de Panama bringing the audience to their feet. 'Summerland' was also  performed with graceful eloquence moving some audience members to tears. The singers framed the concert with renditions of operatic arias skilfully delivered by Zohar-Hernandez Carr, tenor and spirited gospel interpretations of Negro Spirituals by Keith Borden.

The beautiful concert salon of the historic Mojica Hacienda of the La Señora Research Institute in Santa Monica Canyon was filled to capacity for this wonderful event which represented the scope of the work done by the great African-American composer William Grant Still.

by: D'Lynn Waldron

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