Hailstork: 'without a strong push from educators and the media, they will never know anything about African-American composers.'

[Adolphus Hailstork]

Earlier today AfriClassical posted: “I would like to respectfully urge the Brevard Music Center to program a significant number of works by Black composers.” Prof. Adolphus C. Hailstork of Old Dominion University in Virginia is an African American composer and professor who was born on April 17, 1941 and is profiled at AfriClassical.com He has commented on the post:

“Dear Bill,

Thanks for the effort. I am sure the students say what they want to play based on what they know, and without a strong push from educators and the media, they will never know anything about African-American composers."

Adolphus

Cadenagramonte.cu: Students of Québec & Cuba in 'La Bella Cubana' of José White April 3, Las Tunas, Cuba

[José Silvestre White (1835-1918), shown here after he received the 1st prize for violin at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1856. Bibliothèque Nationale de France]

José Silvestre White (1835-1918) was an Afro-Cuban violinist who became a composer and professor after graduating from the Paris Conservatory. He is profiled at AfriClassical.com:

Radio Cadena Agramonte

“Cuban and Canadian Musicians Give Concert in Eastern Cuba

LAS TUNAS, Cuba, Apr 4.- Students from the art school “El Cucalambe” from Las Tunas, Cuba and from Quebec’s art school La Seigneurie, Canada gave a concert Sunday as closing of a trip for cultural exchange between the two schools. The students from both countries came together in a choir and a chamber orchestra to give the concert in which they interpreted songs from both countries, like La bella cubana by Jose White, and the Spring Anthem by Felix Leclerc.

“La Seigneurie’s director Gills Tetreaut said the concert was very good in spite of the few days the young musicians had to prepare it and rehearse and also the complexity of the repertoire. The group of 17 students of music and dance, and two professors from the Quebecois school has been in Cuba since March 26 on a program for cultural exchange that included visit to historical places, lectures about Cuba and exchange with students from Las Tunas, located in the eastern region of the island.”