Myrtle Hart Society Profile: 'Terrance Oliveras-Gray, violinist and conductor'

Myrtle Hart Society

Rashida N. Black, Founder/Executive Director

December 2008 eNewsletter

Terrance Oliveras-Gray is a nationally and internationally recognized violinist and conductor. He has performed as a member of the American Arts Trio, the Tower Ensemble and Connoisseur Musica. In 1998, he was nominated for "Musician of the Year" by Chicago AFM 10-208. He studied violin and conducting at DePaul University with Ruben Gonzales, Marc Zinger, and Elizabeth Grabow Mueller (violin) and Michael Morgan, Dr. Gregory Lyons, and Gordon Peters (conducting). 

By 1992, Mr. Gray had established himself as principal conductor and music director of the South Side Family Chamber Orchestra. In 1994, he became the Associate Conductor of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO) about which, he states, "The music, the learning, the friendships, and the fun are what make the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras so great." He is currently on the faculty of the Sherwood Conservatory and the People's Music School; a member of the Chicago Sinfonietta; and concertmaster of the New Black Repertory Ensemble. The CYSO's Concert Orchestra performs works by Schubert, Elgar and Alfven on Wednesday, December 10, 7:30pm in the Sidney R. Yates Gallery at the Chicago Cultural Center http://www.chicagoculturalcenter.org

First Anniversary of Myrtle Hart Society, Promoting Classical Musicians of Color

The Myrtle Hart Society is one year old this month. Its Founder/Executive Director is Rashida N. Black, an African American harpist and music researcher. The Society is named for an early harpist of African descent, and is dedicated to promoting all classical musicians of color. The MHS website is http://www.MyrtleHart.org/ The E-mail address for subscriptions to the free, fact-filled monthly MHS eNewsletter is: eNewsletter@myrtlehart.org

Here is an excerpt from a Letter to Readers in the current issue of the MHS eNewsletter, which was published today, February 1, 2008:

“Last February, I was overwhelmed with the reality that I had no idea what my musical friends and colleagues were doing throughout the year, that there was a huge age differential between myself and the seasoned researchers of black classical music (where's the next generation?) and that the music of black classical composers was not being performed often enough to educate the masses about their legacy. As an outlet for my frustrations, I built a web site and drafted a plan. On February 21, 2007, the Myrtle Hart Society was incorporated in the state of Illinois to make the classical community of color more visible and accessible to me and my friends.”