Celebrate
Celebrate the Life of Price, Still, bonds, the Johnsons
Redefining the Canon
In 2023, I participated in the Nat Phil Orchestra Youth Mentorship program, a community partner with the Boulanger Initiative. Their mission is “to work toward greater inclusivity and to enrich the collective understanding of what music is, has been, and can be.
During the Nat Phil Youth mentorship program, I was exposed to Florence Price, William Grant Still, Adolphus Hailstork and Margaret Bonds. As community partners, they promote historically underrepresented composers to use in audition repertoire and their objective is to create a catalyst for orchestras to program more inclusive works, hopefully attracting more diverse musicians to audition. The Nat Phil Orchestra Youth Mentorship program goal is to engage musicians of color and marginalized genders to feel welcomed, valued, and celebrated.
This focus makes me feel as though the Orchestra community is finally acknowledging African American contributions to Classical music as it highlights the talent and accomplishments of my predecessors. The African American composers were special, especially coming from the era they were born into.
Check out the Nat Phil to support youth programs and donate.
https://nationalphilharmonic.org/
https://www.boulangerinitiative.org/redefining-the-canon
As composers, Florence Price, William Still and Margaret Bonds were not only skilled musicians but possessed great imaginative and expressive capabilities. They demonstrated courage, strength and grace in response to discrimination. The musical details of their works are stories of suffering, longing and hope.
Musicians possess the power to amplify forgotten voices. I hope my concert inspired you to explore the remarkable African American composers who achieved success during the early 20th century despite the many obstacles they faced due to their race and gender; Their often neglected music deserves much wider recognition.
