Black people have composed and performed classical music as long as the genre has existed. King Henry VIII had a Black trumpeter, John Blanke. Beethoven wrote the Kreutzer Sonata for a Black violinist, George Bridgetower (1780-1860...
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Black people have composed and performed classical music as long as the genre has existed. King Henry VIII had a Black trumpeter, John Blanke. Beethoven wrote the Kreutzer Sonata for a Black violinist, George Bridgetower (1780-1860). Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799) was a leading Afro-French composer, violinist and conductor in Paris. He regularly played music at Versailles with Queen Marie-Antoinette.
[Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Sonata for Violin and Pianoforte in A Major, Op. 11; Stéphanie-Marie Degand, Violin; Aline Zylberajch, Pianoforte; Orchestre du Parlement de Music; Martin Gester, Conductor; Assai M10 (2004)] The Hutchinson L.A. Report Monday, July 7, 2008 Earl Ofari Hutchinson “Despite what some mistakenly think, classical music is our experience too. That’s the black experience. For six decades, the Southeast Symphony Orchestra in Los Angeles has had this ambitious goal...
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[Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges Violin Concertos, Op. 5, Nos. 1 & 2; Op. 3, No. 1; Op. 8, No. 9; Bernard Thomas Chamber Orchestra; Jean-Jacques Kantorow, Violin; Arion 68093 (1990)] John Malveaux has made this comment at The Hutchinson L.A. Report on July 10, 2008: “I have served on the Board of the Southeast Symphony Orchestra and continuously challenged the President and Conductor to program more music by composers of African descent. The orchestra has never performed a composition by...
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[African Heritage Symphonic Series, Vol. 1; Danse Nègre From African Suite (6:14); Petite Suite de Concert (13:36); Chicago Sinfonietta; Paul Freeman, Conductor; Cedille 90000 055 (2000)] AfriClassical recently posted “Southampton Recorded Music Society Presents Black Classical Music July 4”. It explained that the presentation would be made by Annamarie Ewing, who plays baroque and classical recorder music in the South of England and is webmaster of http://www.BlackClassics.co.uk Today...
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[Amber Mercomes, soprano] Yesterday was the day of the Music Without Borders concert in Long Beach, California, and AfriClassical posted “Press-Telegram: 'An overlooked sound in classical music', Carlos Chavez & William Grant Still”. Among the comments made at the newspaper's website on June 29, 2008 was this one: “Dear Mr. Mellen, The title 'An overlooked sound in classical music' gives rare recognition to the music of Hispanic composers and composers of African descent. I have enjoyed...
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Cascade Festival of Music cancels season by David Stabler, The Oregonian Thursday June 26, 2008, 3:28 PM “The news out of Bend, the wealthy central Oregon town, isn't good. On Thursday, musicians at the Cascade Festival of Music began hearing that the festival had canceled its season and could be filing for bankruptcy. The eight-day festival, which plays in Drake Park each August, had scheduled pianist James Tocco, Blues Women of Portland, Asleep at the Wheel, Tiller's Folly and 'Carmina...
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Pianist and classical music composer Tuluyhan U Yurlu, well known for recitals in historically significant locations, will make a synthesis of the East and the West in a concert he will perform today in front ...