The Colour of Music Festival features concerts, including an organ recital series
The Colour of Music Festival, now in its third year, showcases classically trained African-American musicians
Soprano Roberta Laws performed in the Porgy and Bess Concert Suite during the 2014 Colour of Music Festival
Gerard Aimontche
Tanya Charles
Marlon Daniel
Lee Pringle
The Post and Courier
Adam Parker
Oct 18, 2015
When it started two years ago, organizers of the Colour of Music
Festival were unsure about whether their innovative concept would take
hold. Was the Charleston classical music market already saturated? Was
there enough interest in yet another festival? Would the gutsy mission
of this new venture appeal to patrons?
Now the Colour of Music Festival is up to bat for the third time, and
its three big Masterpiece concerts will be presented at the new,
1,800-seat Gaillard Center performance hall. Lee Pringle, the festival’s
founder and artistic director, is overseeing an ambitious program that
depends — again — on international talent and large productions, as well
as smaller recitals.
The purpose is to showcase classically trained black musicians and to
make the point that the classical music world generally is far from
diverse enough. By putting role models on stage, Pringle hopes to
inspire young African Americans to pick up an instrument or raise their
singing voice and follow a path well-forged but perhaps not yet paved,
he said.
The festival also shines a spotlight on black musicians who often find
themselves embedded in orchestras, playing a supporting role.
That’s not to say the festival has no stars, both established and
up-and-coming. Marlon Daniel, who has been with the festival since the
beginning, returns as orchestral music director. Violist Arthur Ross
will join the enterprise as director of chamber music. David E. Morrow
of Morehouse College returns as director of choral activities. And
Everett Jones, an expert of composer William Grant Still’s music, is
joining the festival as director of the Ebony & Ivory Piano Series.
“The Colour of Music Festival officially starts its third year ... on a
high note with international black Russian pianist Gerard Aimontche and
Canadian virtuoso violinist Tanya Charles," concert master Pringle
said. “We are excited to be attracting artists of this caliber; their
participation is an indication we are gaining momentum quickly as a
premier fall classical festival to attend.”
Comment by email:
Thank you so much, Bill! - Lee [Lee Pringle]
Comment by email:
Thank you so much, Bill! - Lee [Lee Pringle]
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