'2+2=8': John McLaughlin Williams, Wayne Marshall & Micallef-Inanga Duo in 2-Piano 8-Hand Ensemble in Malta

[From TOP: John McLaughlin Williams, Wayne Marshall, Glen Inanga and Jennifer Micallef]

John McLaughlin Williams tells us he will participate in a repeat of the “2+2=8” concert. It will take place in Malta, the home country of Jennifer Micallef of the Micallef-Inanga Duo, which pairs her with the Nigerian pianist Glen Inanga. British keyboard virtuoso Wayne Marshall will also perform:

Hi Bill,

The Inanga-Micallef Duo with Wayne Marshall and me are doing another concert as 2+2=8, which is our two piano eight hand ensemble. We are in Malta next week playing many of the same fantastic arrangements of works now considered classics, such as 1812 Overture, Danse Macabre, Espana, etc. These arrangements were created at the time of each work's composition, and they are marvelously evocative settings of the original works. Glen, Jen and Wayne are all fantastic, international level pianists - and then there's me! I feel like Ringo in the Beatles. Nonetheless, a fine time should be had by all.

http://www.teatrumanoel.com.mt/default.asp?m=shows&id=90

Thanks and best regards,

JMW

Rudolph Dunbar Story Aired on BBC Radio 4

Rudolph Dunbar, the Black conductor and clarinettist from Guyana, was profiled at On An Overgrown Path on April 23, 2007, in a post entitled Berlin Philharmonic's first black conductor. The link was later published in the eNewsletter of the Myrtle Hart Society, which promotes composers and musicians of color. Response to the post was unusually heavy, according to Pliable, and it is now linked to Wikipedia. He adds:

Dunbar's inspirational story needs to reach a wider audience, so I was delighted to find BBC Radio 4 broadcasting the Strange Story of Rudolph Dunbar today (August 7 2007). Here is the BBC blurb:

Strange Story of Rudolph Dunbar
Tuesday 7 August 2007 11:30-12:00 (Radio 4 FM)
Wayne Marshall tells the story of Rudolph Dunbar.

Born into poverty in British Guiana, Dunbar became a well-known jazz and classical clarinettist as well as having a European career as a classical conductor.

Despite becoming the first black man to conduct at the Royal Albert Hall and having conducted the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra just days after the end of the Second World War, Dunbar ended his life in obscurity in Britain, convinced that the BBC in particular had barred his way to greater things.

You can to listen to the BBC programme on demand until August 15 here. Following my article as you listen to the broadcast is really quite interesting.