Wednesday, January 23, 2013

TribDem.com: Johnstown S.O. in William Grant Still's 'Afro-American Symphony' & Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's 'Danse Nègre' 7:30 PM Feb. 9


Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912)

William Grant Still (1895-1978)
[Africa: Piano Music of William Grant Still;
Denver Oldham, piano;
Koch International Classics 3-7084-2H1]

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) and William Grant Still (1895-1978) are profiled at AfriClassical.com, which features a comprehensive Works List and a Bibliography for each by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com

January 13, 2013


JOHNSTOWN — Johnstown Symphony Orchestra is breaking new ground by offering its first-ever concert in celebration of Black History Month. The concert, titled “American History – Land of the Free,” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center in Richland Township.

The program will feature composers William Grant-Still, Aaron Copland, Joan Tower and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.  Maestro Istvan Jaray said of all the concerts he has been associated with through the years, this will be his first venture into spotlighting African-American composers.  “It is something I have been meaning to do for a long time,” he said.  “There is a wealth of great African-American composers, both men and women, dating from the 18th and 19th centuries to a contemporary group of living symphonists.”

Compositions will include Copland’s “Fanfare for Common Man” and “Lincoln Portrait,” Tower’s “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No. 1,” Grant Still’s “Symphony No. 1, Afro-American Symphony,” and Coleridge-Taylor’s “Danse Negre, Op. 35, No. 4” and “Ballade in A minor, Op. 33.”

“African-American composers are a cherished, integral part of music history,” Jaray said. “I would hope this starts a musical dialogue with the African-American community to demonstrate that classical music is for everyone, no matter what their ethnicity.”

Brooke Welsh, the symphony executive director, said the symphony’s marketing committee has been meeting with educators and community leaders to promote the concert and spread the word to area churches, schools and community groups.

“We are trying to reach new audiences, and we want them to be aware of this concert,” Welsh said. “We don’t want the concert to pass by and get word that people did not know that the Johnstown Symphony held this concert.”
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Who: Johnstown Symphony Orchestra.

What: “American History – Land of the Free.”

Where: Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, 450 Schoolhouse Road, Richland Township.

When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9.

Tickets: 269-7200 or visit www.JohnstownSymphony.org.

Cost: $25, $30 and $35 for adults; $10 for students.

Information: 535-6738 or 269-7200.
   

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