Afro-French Composer Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Born Dec. 25, 1745, Featured at 'Colour of Music' in Charleston 268 Years After Birth

Maestro Marlon Daniel, of Ensemble du Monde, was Director of Orchestral Music at Colour of Music Festival in Charleston in 2013           

The life, fencing and music of Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799) are presented at AfriClassical.com. On Dec. 25, 1745, a slave on a Caribbean plantation gave birth to a boy whose father was a French nobleman who owned the plantation. Many children were born on plantations in such circumstances, but young Joseph de Bologne was taken to France and given the education of an aristocrat.  

His boarding school combined academics with first-class training in fencing, and he attended from ages 13 to 19. Joseph showed exceptional talent in fencing, and for a time was considered the best fencer in France. As a young adult he turned to music, first as a violinist and soon after as a composer and conductor as well.

The Colour of Music Festival played an important role in reminding people of the great achievements of Saint-Georges in composing many works, performing on the violin, and conducting the two best orchestras in France, one of which premiered each of Haydn's six Paris Symphonies under the baton of Saint-Georges.