Is William Grant Still 'All-American Composer'? Celeste Headlee: 'So true! I try to stress this point to people all the time!'

[Celeste Headlee (Marco Antonio)]

Earlier today AfriClassical posted: “Comment at LIFE.com: 'William Grant Still was also an All-American Composer.'” That was a response to a statement at LIFE.com which said he was “Known as the 'Dean of American Negro Composers.'”

We have received a comment from Celeste Headlee, granddaughter of William Grant Still. She is a soprano who has performed songs of William Grant Still. Celeste is also co-host of the national morning radio news program “The Takeaway”: “So true! I try to stress this point to people all the time! Do we call Copland a great Jewish-American composer? Or the same for Bernstein?”

BBB-Blogger: 'Time Stands Still Welcomes WNYC Talk Back Tomorrow' Nov. 2, After 7 PM Performance

[Celeste Headlee]

Posted on November 1, 2010 by bbbblogger

“TIME STANDS STILL

WELCOMES WNYC TALK BACK TOMORROW

POST-PERFORMANCE TALKBACK TO FEATURE

WNYC’S CELESTE HEADLEE, EDUCATOR ROBIN WILLIAMS,

THE VERA INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE’S WAYNE McKENZIE, & JOURNALIST AUDREY ADAMS

“TIME STANDS STILL, the Tony nominated hit play at the Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street), continues its talk back series tomorrow, November 2 following the 7 PM performance with an edition sponsored by WNYC. The talk back will feature educator Robin Williams, The Vera Institute for Justice’s Wayne McKenzie, and 'Talk! With Audrey' host Audrey Adams. The talk back will be moderated by Celeste Headlee, host of WNYC’s 'The Takeaway.'

“Each TIME STANDS STILL talk back will feature noted experts from the worlds of journalism, photojournalism, foreign affairs, and leaders in the international fight to protect journalistic freedoms. Additional talkback panelists and topics will be announced in the coming weeks. TIME STANDS STILL stars Laura Linney, Brian d’Arcy James, Eric Bogosian, and Christina Ricci. The play is by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies and directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan. Tickets are available through Telecharge.com, by phone at 212-239-6200, or 800-432-7250, online at www.Telecharge.com or at the Cort Theatre Box Office (138 West 48th Street).

“CELESTE HEADLEE is co-host of 'The Takeaway' from WNYC and PRI. Previously, she was Midwest correspondent for NPR’s 'Day to Day.' From 2001-2006, she was a reporter at WDET (Detroit). She got her start in radio as the local 'Morning Edition' anchor at KNAU (Flagstaff, AZ). Her news reports have aired on NPR, National Native News and PRI, and she has also reported for the Detroit News. Her work has been honored with multiple awards from the Michigan Chapter of the Associated Press, the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, and the Metro Detroit Society of Professional Journalists. In addition to her journalistic background, Headlee is a classically trained soprano. She has contributed pieces to Chamber Music magazine, and is the granddaughter of 'The Dean of African-American Composers,' William Grant Still.”

Lotus Ensemble in Rick Robinson's 'City of Trees' Feb. 28; Celeste Headlee on William Grant Still

(Lotus Ensemble, photo from PalmerWoods.org)

Lotus Ensemble
PalmerWoods.org

Sunday, February 28, 7pm

Concert sponsor: Elegance By Design
By Larry Gabriel, http://www.gumbospot.com/
“Black History month is even more meaningful when great composers such as Duke Ellington, William Grant Still, Scott Joplin, and Detroit’s own Rick Robinson get the spotlight. These legendary composers get the string treatment with the Lotus Ensemble — violinists Joseph Striplin and Velda Kelly, bassist Rick Robinson and violist John Madison, as they bow away the blues on a cold winter evening. Striplin and Robinson are members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Kelly and Madison play in the Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra, as well as regularly with the DSO.

“William Grant Still is considered by many to be the 'dean' of African American composers. He was the first African American to conduct a major American symphony orchestra, the first to have his own symphony performed by a top orchestra, and the first to have his own opera performed by a major opera company and on national television. That puts him in good company with Ellington and Joplin, both legendary and prodigious composers, who created musical models for generations of jazz musicians to come.”

“Lotus will also perform Robinson’s composition City of Trees, as well as works by Mozart and others. Robinson’s ESSAY No. 1 (After Sibelius) was premiered by DSO in 2006. Striplin, a member of the DSO since 1972, began his musical studies in Detroit’s public schools. He was a member of the Metropolitan Opera National Company Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony and the St. Louis Symphony before returning to Detroit. Striplin is also music director and conductor of the Grosse Pointe Symphony. Kelly has been teaching and performing around Detroit since 1983. She is artistic director of Chamber Music at the Scarab Club and often performs with the DSO.

“Madison is principal violist of the MOT Orchestra and Sphinx Symphony, as well as a regular substitute with the DSO. A sought-after educator, he is Dean of the Sphinx Preparatory Music Institute. He is cofounder and coordinator of the Cassini Ensemble, and recently toured with the Chamber Orchestra of France and performed with the New York City Opera Co. A DSO bassist since1989, Robinson first studied music in Highland Park Public Schools and Interlochen. He’s served as principal bass of the Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra, assistant principal of the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, and substitute with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 1995 he founded CutTime Players, an octet of DSO members. The Takeaway’s new star Public Radio host Celeste Headlee, William Grant Still’s granddaughter, will join us to provide personal insights into her grandfather’s music and life.”

"WNYC and PRI Announce New Co-Host for 'The Takeaway'": Celeste Headlee

PRI.org
September 16, 2009
PRESS RELEASE:
“Celeste Headlee to Join John Hockenberry on Morning Drive Radio News Program 'The Takeaway' Beginning Monday, September 21

“(Cleveland, OH – September 16, 2009) – Public Radio International (PRI) and WNYC today announced that Celeste Headlee will join The Takeaway as co-host to John Hockenberry. The announcement was made at the annual Public Radio Program Directors (PRPD) Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. The Takeaway, a co-production of WNYC and PRI, in editorial collaboration with the BBC World Services, The New York Times, and WGBH Boston, is public radio’s first new morning drive time news program in almost 30 years. The program launched in April 2008 on seven public radio stations and now airs on 49 nationwide, and is available on XM and Sirius Satellite Radio and at www.TheTakeaway.org as well. Headlee’s first day on the air in her new role will be Monday, September 21, following several stints as guest co-host this past summer.

“Headlee brings to the role experience both on and off the air in local and national public radio productions. Most recently, she was the Midwest Correspondent for NPR’s Day to Day, covering everything from the auto industry to art, the presidential election to toilet smuggling. From 2001-2006, Headlee was a reporter at public radio station WDET Detroit. Previously, she was the local Morning Edition anchor at public radio station KNAU in Flagstaff, Arizona. Her news reports have aired on NPR, the Pacifica Network, National Native News and Public Radio International. She has also reported for the Detroit News. Her work has been honored with multiple awards from the Michigan Chapter of the Associated Press, the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, and the Metro Detroit Society of Professional Journalists. In addition to her journalistic background, Headlee is a classically trained soprano who has performed at the Michigan Opera Theater and various recitals around the country. She has contributed pieces to Chamber Music magazine, and is the granddaughter of “The Dean of African American composers,” William Grant Still.

“'Celeste is a seasoned and accomplished broadcaster, and a woman of many talents,' said Mark Effron, Executive Producer, The Takeaway. 'Her reporting portfolio shows both depth and breadth, and as a host, she brings a natural sense of curiosity and warmth to whatever she does. When Celeste and John first teamed up on the air, I knew we had found the right partner. She and John have the right on-air rapport to draw the audience in and make them comfortable and receptive to our brand of interactive journalism and conversation.' 'I am thrilled to be joining The Takeaway,' said Celeste Headlee. 'I'm excited to have the opportunity to work with John Hockenberry, and I love the show's lively format and commitment to a direct, immediate connection with the audience. I look forward to being part of the national conversation about issues that affect all of us, and to bringing my own experiences and background to the table.'"

Ionarts: Music of William Grant Still at National Gallery of Art Feb. 27

[Africa: Piano Music of William Grant Still; Denver Oldham, piano; Koch 3 7084 2H1 (1991)]

We learned from Ionarts that William Grant Still's granddaughter, Soprano Celeste Headlee, will perform his works with Pianist Danielle DeSwert, February 27, 2008 at 12:10PM at the National Gallery of Art, West Building Ground Floor, Lecture Hall.

[William Grant Still is profiled at AfriClassical.com]