John Malveaux: Southeast Symphony opens '64th season on a high and promising note with guest conductor'

[TOP: John Wineglass (b. 1972) at Emmy® Awards BOTTOM: Dr. Marian L Harrison (b. 1974)]

On Oct. 2, 2011 AfriClassical posted: “Southeast Symphony & Anthony Parnther, Guest Conductor, Open Season 3 PM 10/2 in Works of Wineglass & Harrison.” John Malveaux of www.MusicUNTOLD.com reviews the opening concert of the 2011-2012 season of the Southeast Symphony of Los Angeles:

Southeast Symphony, oldest predominantly African American orchestra in the world, (per President and CEO Sheryl Harris) opened their 64th season on a high and promising note with guest conductor.

On Sunday, October 2, 2011 at Trinity Baptist Church, a reconfigured Southeast Symphony under the baton of Anthony Parnther thrilled an inquisitive audience of several hundred. Guest conductor Parnther skillfully planned and adroitly executed a program consisting of standard repertoire, two (2) West Coast premieres by African American composers, a young African American bassoon soloist, and charismatic comments from the podium.

The first half included 20-year-old Andrew Brady's performance of Bassoon Concerto in B flat major, K 191 by Mozart. The first half concluded with the West Coast premiere of John Wineglass (b.1972) Portraits of a Theme-Overture No 1 for Orchestra (2010). “The work is based around themes from the television show Smallville, which John wrote for. So, if it reminds you a little of Superman, it should”. (from program notes) Wineglass arrived after the performance due to late plane arrival and we did not hear comments from him.

The second half started with Out of Kilter: Scenes from Black America preceded by an explanatory talk from composer Dr. Marian L Harrison (b. 1974). She characterized the piece “modern art music”. “Out of Kilter explores the subject of racial disparity in the African-American race, as it ‘scores’ five paintings by Atlanta-area artist, Chase Campbell". (from program notes)

The Southeast Symphony season opener underlines the potential of Southeast Symphony to become a major United States force in heightening awareness of composers of color within a mix of appropriate standard repertoire. If Black youth don’t see/hear classical composers of color and they are uneducated about AfriClassical.com, how can we NOT expect them and others to view classical music as WHITE MUSIC? Southeast Symphony could choose to perform and preserve a treasure of great works by composers of African descent, exposure new works by living and working composers, motivate and multiply future composers. Just performing standard repertoire will NEVER be enough to convince a significant percentage of youth and the general public that people of color are EQUAL in classical music and have been significant contributors since the beginning of the genre. The words, pictures, and performances must match.

Where will Southeast Symphony go from here?

John Malveaux

Charles Dickerson Asks If NPR Could Record His 'I Have A Dream' Jan. 9 & Air It On King Holiday Weekend

[Charles E. Dickerson III, Music Director and Conductor, The Southeast Symphony and Chorus]

Yesterday AfriClassical posted: “Charles Dickerson & Southeast Symphony & Chorus in 'I Have A Dream,' MLK Concert Jan. 9, Hollywood Hills.” Today Maestro Dickerson has responded:

“Dear Mr. Zick,

Wow. I am honored. I am not sure how you found out about this, but I am really quite taken back that you know about it, and that you have written about it and about me. Thank you for that honor.

I'd like to share this composition with you, and with everyone else in the africlassical community. Would you or anyone else be interested in recording this performance for possible broadcast on NPR or some other interested station on the King Holiday? As I think you know, our performance will be on January 9, and of course, the major celebrations of the King Holiday will be the following weekend. Please let me know if you have interest in this, or how I/we might go about generating interest in this.

Again, my thanks to you for taking notice of my work, and for putting the word out.

Best regards, particularly during this most festive time of the year,

Charles Dickerson”

Charles Dickerson & Southeast Symphony & Chorus in 'I Have A Dream,' MLK Concert Jan. 9, Hollywood Hills

[Charles E. Dickerson III, Music Director and Conductor, The Southeast Symphony and Chorus]

Music Director and Conductor Charles E. Dickerson III will lead The Southeast Symphony and Chorus in the world premiere of his composition I Have a Dream, accompanied by other works, at the Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Concert at Forest Lawn Memorial Park on Jan. 9, 2011:

Southeast Symphony.org

Sunday, January 09 2011 - 5:00 PM

“ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY CELEBRATION CONCERT

Forest Lawn Memorial Park

Hollywood Hills, CA

Forest Lawn Memorial Parks presents The Southeast Symphony and Chorus in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Concert, featuring the World Premiere of I HAVE A DREAM by Charles Dickerson and other music of remembrance.” “The Southeast Symphony Association is a not-for-profit organization established in 1948 to present and teach music to the diverse communities of Los Angeles. It aspires to remove perceived barriers from participation in, and appreciation for classical repertoire by presenting concerts in areas where access to live classical music is limited, and by offering and providing music instruction to young people in these areas.”

ConductorsGuild.org

“Charles Dickerson is Music Director/Conductor of The Southeast Symphony, Director of Music at Rolling Hills United Methodist Church, and Director of the Inner City Education Foundation (ICEF) Youth Orchestra. The Southeast Symphony is a professional orchestra of 100 musicians in Los Angeles, California that presents a season of 10 concerts of major orchestral works each year. The orchestra celebrated its 60th anniversary in July, 2008, with a sold-out performance of music by George Gershwin at the Walt Disney Concert Hall under Charles’ direction. Charles directs the 40-voice Chancel Choir at RHUMC for two services on each Sunday morning, and where he has created and conducts a concert series.” “The ICEF Youth Orchestra is an orchestra in formation for 3rd-12th grade inner city students. It is sponsored by ICEF, a non-profit, public charter school serving some of the most at-risk communities of Los Angeles. Charles also teaches music in the ICEF schools where he also conducts a 250-voice children’s choir. Charles holds a Masters Degree in Conducting from California State University, Los Angeles. He is also a member of the California State Bar.”

Southeast Symphony Opens Season Oct. 3 With Music Dedicated to the Late Dr. Don Lee White

[The Late Dr. Don Lee White]

Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje is Chair and Professor, Department of Ethnomusicology, UCLA. She sends news from Dr. Hansonia Caldwell, a retired Professor of Music at California State University Dominguez Hills, of a concert of the Southeast Symphony of Los Angeles at which music of Handel will be dedicated to the late Dr. Don Lee White:

“The Southeast Symphony is scheduled to open its season on Sunday, October 3rd, at 3 pm, at Trinity Baptist Church.

“The concert will open with the Samuel Barber Adagio for Strings, a wonderful work that will be appropriately dedicated to Don. The rest of the concert will feature the music of Handel, (Royal Fireworks Music and Water Music). Charles Dickerson, the ensemble's conductor, has suggested that the Hallellujah Chorus serve as the culmination of the concert, and has extended an invitation to the singers who loved Don to come, bring your scores, and be ready to celebrate this great man with great music.”

Myrtle Hart Society: The Southeast Symphony of Los Angeles

The Myrtle Hart Society eNewsletter for February notes the 60^th anniversary of the Southeast Symphony of Los Angeles, http://www.SoutheastSymphony.org:

“The Southeast Symphony, a community orchestra in Los Angeles made up of primarily African-American musicians, is celebrating their 60^th anniversary! Under the baton of Music Director Charles Dickerson, the ensemble "aspires to remove perceived barriers from participation in, and appreciation for classical repertoire by presenting concerts in areas where access to live classical music is limited, and by offering and providing music instruction to young people in these areas." If you are in the LA area, attend this Annual Black History Concert featuring 17-year-old pianist Nicholas King.

Program also includes the Cuban Overture by George Gershwin, Symphony No. 1 (Afro-American Symphony) by William Grant Still, and the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2. Sunday, February 10 at 3:00 PM, Trinity Baptist Church, 2040 West Jefferson Blvd. Los Angeles, CA.”

[William Grant Still is one of 52 composers and musicians of African descent who are profiled at AfriClassical.com, where over 100 audio samples of their music can be heard.]