Day 3 of 'My Life, My Words' Contest; William Grant Still, From Violinist to Leader of Wilberforce Band

[ABOVE: My Life, My Words: The Autobiography of William Grant Still, American Master Composer; With additional material by Judith Anne Still; The Master-Player Library, Flagstaff, Arizona (2011) BELOW: Africa: Piano Music of William Grant Still; Denver Oldham, piano; Koch 3 7084 2H1 (1991)]

Today is Day 3 of the 4-day contest to win a copy of My Life, My Words: The Autobiography of William Grant Still, American Master Composer. The Fort Smith Symphony of Fort Smith, Arkansas held a public rehearsal of 3 works of William Grant Still on April 16, 2011 for a Naxos CD. Two of the works were his Symphonies No. 2 (Song of a New Race) and No. 3 (The Sunday Symphony). To enter to win a copy of My Life, My Words: The Autobiography of William Grant Still, American Master Composer, and a copy of IN ONE LIFETIME by the composer's wife, Verna Arvey, answer this question:

What is the name of the third work?

To enter, send an email to wzick@ameritech.net with “My Life, My Words” in the subject line. Entries must be received by midnight Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, July 6, 2011. One entry per person please. A winner will be chosen randomly from the correct entries. The winner will be contacted by email and AfriClassical.com will send the prize to the winner.

Chapter III of My Life, My Words is “Goodbye, Rose.”
On p. 48 we read of Still's time as a student at Wilberforce: “It did not take long for the beginning student to realize that he had no interest in science or medicine. Although he kept his grades slightly above average, he began to occupy his time with playing the violin, and he found that other students, and his professors, praised his performances highly. The girls loved it when he played the violin outside the dorm at night, ending the serenade with “Goodbye, Rose” when the lights went out at 10:00 p.m. A letter from his classmate, Alzada Singleton Buford, February 18, 1938, to Still, stated that “we all thrilled at the violin performance of 'Billy Still' at Wilberforce,” and when he was praised, all observed his “well-remembered modesty.” He was greatly admired when he formed his own string quartet and wrote music for the quartet to play. Yet the adulation was not enough to lead him into a career as a violinist. He said,

In spite of this flattering state of affairs, in no time at all I threw away any chance I might have had to become a concert violinist because I began to divide my interests. Other instruments claimed my attention. All of them presented fascinating problems that challenged my ability to learn. I wasn't going to be satisfied until I had experimented with as many of them as possible. One of the first on the list was the clarinet.”

When the leader of the Wilberforce Band left the post, Still was given his position, after which he began to teach himself to play all the instruments in the band. [William Grant Still (1895-1978) is profiled at AfriClassical.com, which features a complete Works Lists by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com]

Classical and Jazz Compositions of Shawn Garmon Can Be Heard on Her MySpace Page

[Shawn Garmon]

Musicologist Dr. Helen Walker-Hill helped introduce us to the music of Shawn Garmon of Norman, Oklahoma. Dr. Walker-Hill told us in an email last year: “Her body of works includes a couple of outstanding string quartets, and lots of other beautiful pieces for various media.” We also learned that Shawn Garmon had donated a large number of scores to the Center for Black Music Research at Columbia College Chicago.

Her bio indicates she is “Currently working on a DMA in Music Composition at The University of Oklahoma.” It states that she has earned three degrees at Wichita State University: “Master of Music, Instrumental Conducting, 2004; Master of Music, Music Theory and Composition, 2003; and Bachelor of Music, Music Theory and Composition, 1996.” Shawn lists additional studies “at the University of New Orleans and Southern University at New Orleans.”

We first heard Movement II (4:16) from the composer's String Quartet No. 1. It is among several works which may be sampled at the MySpace page of Shawn Garmon, such as Freedom (4:21) and Perceptions (4:16). On her MySpace page she describes her genres as “Classical and Nu-Jazz.”

Much of Shawn's career has involved jazz, but she has recently composed some works in a more classical style as well. Her personal music label is Redemption Records. An easy way to gain an introduction to both the classical and jazz sides of her music is to listen to audio samples at: http://www.myspace.com/shawngarmon/music

Ritz Chamber Players Premiere 'String Quartet' by Gary Smart at Season Finale May 27

Terrance Patterson, Artistic Director of the Ritz Chamber Players, announces that the ensemble's Season Finale will feature String Quartet by Florida composer Gary Smart at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. May 27, 2009. The location is the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, in the Jacoby Symphony Hall Tickets are now available for $30, but may be purchased online by May 26 for $20 per person. Purchase tickets by phone at (904) 354-5547 or online at http://www.ritzchamberplayers.org

Terrance Patterson – Clarinet

Amadi Hummings – Viola

Terrance Wilson – Piano

Kyle Lombard and Diane Monroe – Violin

Kenneth Law – Cello

GERSHWIN Lullaby for String Quartet

MILHAUD Suite for clarinet, violin, and piano

SMART String Quartet (World Premiere)

BRAHMS Quintet for Piano and Strings in F Minor, Op. 34 

VIP reception in the Davis Gallery, during intermission and following the concert, is open to season ticket holders and to people who purchased tickets to both the Spring Concert and Season Finale.