Regina Harris Baiocchi in Pipe Organ Music 4:30 PM 10/11 & 3 Premieres 2 PM 10/23

[Regina Harris Baiocchi]

Regina Harris Baiocchi is an accomplished

African American composer, educator and

poet based in Chicago. She invites family

and friends to join her at two free music

events this month:

·Tomorrow: 11 October @ 4:30 pm

Tea & Pipes Organ Concert features my Pipe Organ Music

Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, 5850 South Woodlawn

University of Chicago Campus, Info: 773-702-2100

·Sunday, 23 October @ 2:00 pm

6° Women Composers Concert: Holy Family Church

1080 West Roosevelt Road (12th @ May Street)

I will premiere 3 compositions; reception follows

free admission and free parking

Peace,

Regina Baiocchi

www.ReginaHarrisBaiocchi.com

Regina Harris Baiocchi: 'Thanks for keeping Hale Smith's name in the public's consciousness.'

[Hale Smith (1925-2009) and Regina Harris Baiocchi]

On June 29, 2011 AfriClassical posted: “Hale Smith, Innovative Composer of Classical Music & Jazz, Was Born June 29, 1925.” For many years toward the end of his life, composer and Professor Hale Smith of Freeport, New York was both friend and mentor to the Chicago composer and poet Regina Harris Baiocchi. The two would talk regularly for hours, about music and life, on a dedicated phone line. Regina sends this response to our post:

“Dear Bill:

Thanks for keeping Hale Smith's name in the public's consciousness. Hale is happy to know that he is remembered fondly by so many colleagues, proteges, and friends. What better way to commemorate the 85th anniversary of Hale's birth! All the best...

Peace,

Regina

http://www.ReginaHarrisBaiocchi.com

http://www.HaikuFest.com
[Hale Smith (1925-2009) is profiled at AfriClassical.com, which features a comprehensive Works List compiled by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, whose website is http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com]

Regina Harris Baiocchi Announces Passing of Mother, Lanzie Harris, August 30, 2010

[Regina Harris Baiocchi]

Regina Harris Baiocchi is an African American composer, educator and poet based in Chicago. She sends AfriClassical word of the passing on August 30, 2010 of her Mother, Lanzie Harris, for which we offer our condolences:

Dear Family & Friends:

Mother, Lanzie Harris, passed Monday 30 August. The Funeral Massis Saturday, 4 September at 10:30 AM, Most Holy Redeemer Church, 9525 South Lawndale, Evergreen Park, IL (708-425-5354). We would love to see you there. In anticipation of your prayers and support, we thank you.

Peace,

Regina

http://www.reginaharrisbaiocchi.com/

http://www.haikufest.com/

Comment by email:
Your kind words help move us toward healing. You continue to keep musicians connected and informed of each other's lives. For that I am eternally grateful.

Peace,

Regina

Regina Baiocchi Presents Poetry Workshop at Chicago Tribune Printers Row Lit Fest 10 AM, June 12

[Regina Harris Baiocchi]

Regina Harris Baiocchi is an African American composer, educator and poet based in Chicago. AfriClassical has received a copy of her message to "Family & Friends":

“This year I will present a Poetry Workshop and sell my books and CDs at the National Writers Union (NWU) table. All events are FREE and open to the public. I hope to see you at one of the following times:

Saturday, 12 June 10:00 to 10:45 AM Poetry Workshop

@ Blake Hotel, 600 South Dearborn, 2nd Floor (312-663-3200)

NWU table is #247, East side of Dearborn between Polk & Harrison

I'll be there Saturday, 12 June 3:00 PM until closing and Sunday,

13 June, 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM”

Tributes to Composer Hale Smith (1925-2009)

AfriClassical has received the following tributes to Hale Smith (1925-2009):

Regina Harris Baiocchi, Chicago, Illinois
Dear Family & Friends: My mentor, teacher, master composer and friend passed this evening. Please honor Hale by celebrating his music and remembering his family in your prayers. Mail may be addressed to Hale's wife: Mrs. Juanita Smith, 225 Pine Street, Freeport, NY 11520

Dominique-René de Lerma, Appleton, Wisconsin
Dear Regina, This news was initially a shock, but then I was overcome with sentiments of deep gratitude, joining my feelings with surely everyone who came in contact with Hale, so appreciative of the warmth of his spirit and the nurture he gave us and his art. This is a man we all loved – and love. When we first met, forty years ago this past summer, we talked way into the night, and I was struck by the enormous love he expressed for Juanita.

Regina Harris Baiocchi
As we big adieu to Master Composer Hale Smith I am reminded of all he gave to me and the world as mentor, teacher and friend. The greatest tribute we can pay is to program Hale Smith's music.

Mike S. Wright, United Kingdom
Suzanne [Flandreau], Thanks for letting me know. Back in the mid 90’s I had had some contact with Hale Smith before he was seriously ill. He was most influential to me in setting my objectives in promoting the music of African American composers. He was most anxious to ensure that I was not promoting music on the basis of ‘a special case’. I was also very much drawn to the qualities of his music. His passing is a sad loss to the musical world and to humanity in general. I will be communicating a message to Juanita via Regina.

Regina Harris Baiocchi
Dear Bill, Thanks for the Hale Smith posting. Please note that Hale is also survived by one daughter, Robin, and three sons: Michael, Marcel (Keiko); and Eric (Marcia); and Marcel's son, Bracey, who spent the last decade or so with Hale and Juanita. (Keiko and Marcia are daughter-in-laws.)

William J. Zick, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Dear Juanita, Please accept my sincere condolences on Hale's passing. He and I did not have personal contact, but through the website I gained great respect for his professional accomplishments. I felt I came to know him through fond references by Marilyn Harris and Dominique-René de Lerma. I have posted some tributes on AfriClassical.

Juanita Smith
Thank you so very much! Juanita

Gwendoline Y. Fortune, Gainesville, Florida
I knew his brother, Bruce, and am in contact with his sister-in-law Norma, a friend of many years. I have been apprised of Hale's condition for some time. I met Hale only once, but cherish the memory. I admire his talent. I told him of one of his compositions I had sung, 'Beyond the rim of day,' and he gave me the names of others he had composed that he said I would like. Composers are my absolutely favored (in awe) artists. Peace and love, Gwen

Composer & Author Regina Harris Baiocchi Thanks AfriClassical

AfriClassical recently posted “Two World Premieres of Regina Harris Baiocchi at ETHS 125^th Anniversary Feb. 24”. Today we received this message of thanks: “Dear Bill: Many, many thanks for all you do to make AfriClassical alive and available to the world. Your hard work means so much to me and posterity. All the best... Peace, Regina” http://www.ReginaHarrisBaiocchi.com; http://www.HaikuFest.com

ReginaHarrisBaiocchi.com

“Regina has written music for symphony orchestra, libretto and one-act opera, hand drum concerto, ballet, chamber music, liturgical and secular music; vocal and instrumental. Commercial recordings include her piano etudes, 'Equipoise by Intersection' on the Kaleidoscope CD; a work song, 'Legends' (the Legend of John Henry, from her ballet) recorded by baritone, Robert Sims; and Kidstuff, a CD of her compositions for children.” 

Two World Premieres of Regina Harris Baiocchi at ETHS 125th Anniversary Feb. 24

[Regina Harris Baiocchi]

Regina Harris Baiocchi sends this news to AfriClassical: "Please note that the world premiere of my two commissions will be next Tuesday, 24 February, 7:00 PM. Music: ETHS Fanfare and Nyimbo Mbili Katika Kiswahili kwa Chorus & Orchestra (Two Swahili Poems). Venue: Evanston Township High School Auditorium, 1600 Dodge." 

Evanston Review

School Notes

Feb. 29, 2009

Evanston Township High School

“As part of the high school's 125th anniversary celebration, the ETHS Alumni Association board commissioned a special musical work by Regina Harris Baiocchi to be played at the music festival: 'ETHS Fanfare' and 'Two Swahili Poems: Nilisikia sauti kubwa and Haba na haba.' Baiocchi -- a Chicago composer, poet, author and artist -- has written instrumental and vocal music for opera, libretti, ballet and concertos. Her compositions have been performed by the Chicago Symphony, as well as numerous other orchestras and ensembles throughout the United States and Europe. 

Regina Harris Baiocchi, African American Composer, Premieres “Blues Haiku”

In October of last year AfriClassical posted: “Regina Baiocchi, African American Composer (b. 1956)”. Today we are pleased to announce that Regina Harris Baiocchi will premiere Blues Haiku at the 24^th Annual Printer's Row Book Fair Saturday and Sunday, June 7 & 8, 2008, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Her booth is G-3, on the West side of Dearborn at Harrison. Reservations may be made by calling 312-458-9898. AfriClassical invited Regina to explain the nature of Blues Haiku. She replied: “Thanks for your interest. Blues Haiku & Other New Poems is a collection of poems. I've organized this volume using Blues-inspired haiku as bookends, with other poetic forms (free verse, kwansaba, couplets, etc.) in between. Blues Haiku received critical acclaim that I've enclosed.”

One of several enthusiastic appraisals of the work is this statement by Angela Jackson, Poet: “Even though it is no surprise that music runs through Regina Harris Baiocchi's Blues Haiku & Other Selected Poems, it is bright with surprise. There is a casual elegance here as in the way a musician eases into the moment. There is grit and juice. Baiocchi engages us with her intelligence, edgy spirituality, buoyancy and maturity.”

Regina Harris Baiocchi's Etude No. 2 (2:48) is available on the CD Kaleidoscope: Music by African-American Women; Helen Walker-Hill, piano; Gregory Walker, violin; Leonarda 339 (1995). Kidstuff is a children's CD she and Michael Adams produced in 2007.