Charleston Symphony Orchestra Spiritual Ensemble & Buster-Elsie Productions announce the Colour of Music Festival, October 23-27, 2013

Colour of Music Festival, Charleston October 23-27, 2013

Debut of First-Ever All-Black Professional Classical Musicians Festival

Charleston SC September 23, 2013─The Charleston Symphony Orchestra Spiritual Ensemble, in association with Buster-Elsie Productions, is pleased to announce the Colour of Music Festival, October 23-27, 2013, a five-day all-black classical musicians festival featuring black musicians, vocalists, and orchestra leaders performing piano, organ, and voice recitals, chamber ensembles and orchestra and a newly formed Colour of Music Chorale. Over twenty performances will showcase the breadth and influence of blacks on the classical music world past and present. FULL SCHEDULE NOW ANNOUNCED NOTED BELOW.

Featuring internationally acclaimed black chamber ensemble players and various classical artists to form the orchestra, the Festival will showcase some of the top black classical musicians in the US, trained at some of the most prestigious music schools, conservatories and universities in the world converging in a number of venues including Charleston’s historic Dock Street Theatre, City Gallery at Waterfront Park, Memminger Auditorium, historic Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, Grace Episcopal Church and many others.

Maestro Marlon Daniel, (www.marlondaniel.com) Music Director of New York-based Ensemble Du Monde, Artistic Director of Festival International Saint-Georges and Principal Guest Conductor of the Sofia Sinfonietta in Bulgaria, will conduct the Festival orchestra in a stand-alone performance highlighting black composers in a special performance of the Oratorio, the Ordering of Moses by Robert Nathaniel Dett. “This first-of-its-kind festival, where professional black musicians are converging on one of America’s admired cities, inspires me to contribute to this history-making effort,” says Maestro Daniel, Festival Music Director.

“Though limited in number on American concert stages, classically trained black artists are thrilled to carry forward the legacy of Le Chevalier de Saint Georges or William Grant Still.  The festival will solidify the enormous contributions black composers and musicians have contributed to our cultural fiber and hopes to inspire young black students to further their musical pursuits,” said Lee Pringle, Festival founder and Producer for the Colour of Music Festival. Recently featured on NPR, 94-year old composer George T. Walker will be in attendance and others whose talents are not household names in the United States.

Full schedule and tickets online: www.colourofmusic.org or call (866) 811-4111.  Discount code for 10 or more: GR.  Flex passes (five programs for $99). Tickets also available at the door (cash or check) one hour before each performance.

COLOUR OF MUSIC FESTIVAL Program Schedule

October 23-27, 2013 Charleston

Marlon Daniel, Music Director

                High Noon Organ Recitals 12:00pm

            Wed Oct 23             Joyce F. Johnson, Spelman College | Grace Episcopal Church

            Thu Oct 24               Anthony Williams, Fisk University | Grace Episcopal Church

            Fri Oct 25                 Wayne A. Barr, Tuskegee University |Mt Zion AME Church

            Sat Oct 26                Nathaniel Gumb, Friendship Missionary Baptist Charlotte | Mt Zion AME Church

            Chamber Music Matinees 2:00pm

            Wed Oct 23             Mozart, Moore, Beethoven | Dock Street Theatre

            Thu Oct 24               Mozart, Saint-Saens | St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

            Fri Oct 25                 Beethoven, Mozart | Dock Street Theatre

            Sat Oct 26                Haydn, Britten, Poulenc | Dock Street Theatre

            Ebony and Ivory Piano Recitals 4:00pm

            Wed Oct 23             Myron D. Brown | Circular Congregational Church

            Thu Oct 24               Lawrence Quinnett | Circular Congregational Church

            Fri Oct 25                 David E. Berry | Circular Congregational Church

            Sat Oct 26                Sakura Myers | Circular Congregational Church     

            Chamber Evening Recital 5:30pm      

            Wed Oct 23             Ginger Jones, mezzo soprano, Aaron Mathews, piano, Alvoy Bryan, viola | City Gallery Waterfront Park 

            Thu Oct 24               Lori C. Hicks, soprano, Richard Beckford, piano, Ken Law, cello | City Gallery Waterfront Park
                                   

            Fri Oct 25                 Samuel Thompson/Cleveland Chandler, violin, Alvoy Bryan, viola, Kenneth Law, cello | City Gallery Waterfront Park
                       

            Sat Oct 26                Lawrence Mitchell-Matthews, baritone | St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
                                                Tamra Garrett, soprano, Geoffrey Duce, piano

            Special Events

            Fri Oct 25

            8:00pm                     The Ordering of Moses Oratorio | Memminger Auditorium

                                                Marlon Daniel, conductor

                                                Roberta Laws, soprano (Miriam)

                                                Nicole J. Mitchell, contralto (Voice of Israel) Robert A. Mack,

                                                tenor (Moses), Daniel A. Washington, bass (The Word)

            Sat Oct 26

            1:00pm                     Free Community Symposium: Musicians of African Descent in Classical Music| St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

           

            8:00pm                     Ode to Black Composers | Memminger Auditorium

                                                Marlon Daniel, conductor, Minerva King, narrator
                                                Josh Henderson, violin

            Sun Oct 27

            5:00pm                     Mozart Requiem & Chariot Jubilee | Memminger Auditorium

                                                David A. Richardson, Conductor

                                                Colour of Music Chorale, CSO Spiritual Ensemble 
                                                Roberta Laws, soprano, Nicole J. Mitchell, contralto

                                                Robert A. Mack, tenor, Daniel A. Washington, bass

              Tickets and additional information: www.colourofmusic.org

[Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799), R. Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943) and William Grant Still (1895-1978) are profiled at AfriClassical.com. The website features comprehensive Works Lists for R. Nathaniel Dett and William Grant Still by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com]

Comment by email:

Thanks, Bill, I am sure Lee Pringle will appreciative for the posting. He is quite remarkable individual and leader in the Charleston Arts Community. Will try my best get there.  Kindest personal regards,  Roland [Roland M. Carter]