Recognizing the significant influence and contributions of Afro Americans to classical music through the lens of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States. As a strong advocate for the diversification of classical music and the advancement of Black musicians in the field, host and professional bassoonist Garrett McQueen has used his platforms on local, national, and international airwaves to promote Black artistry in classical music.Thu 2/18: An Englishman's connection to American slavery.
Scott Joplin: Original Rag (Heinrich Schiff, c; Samuel Sanders, p)
Frederick Delius: Florida Suite (Royal Philharmonic, Sir Thomas Beecham, cond)
Florence Price: Symphony No. 1 (Fort Smith Symphony, John Jeter, cond)
Fri 2/19: Dvorak falls in love with "Negro melodies" on his trip to America
Traditional: Steal Away (American Spiritual Ensemble, Everett McCorvey, cond)
Antonin Dvorak: String Quartet No. 12, American (Emerson Quartet)
Adolphus Hailstork: Three Spirituals for Orchestra (Virginia Symphony, Joanne Falletta, cond)
Adolphus Hailstork: Seven Songs of the Rubaiyat (US Army Soldier’s Chorus, First Lt. Daniel F. Toven, cond)
Mon 2/22: Music in the Black Church
Katherine Hoover: Canyon Echoes for Flute and Guitar (Laurel Zucker, f; Richard Savino, g)
Leonard Bernstein: Symphony Dances from West Side Story (New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein, cond)
Carlos Simon: Amen! (North Texas Wind Symphony, Eugene Corporon, cond)
Tue 2/23: A Tone Poem of William Grant Still
Michael Mosoeu Moerane: Fatse La Heso (My Country) (National Symphony Orchestra of the South African Broadcast Corporation, Peter Marchbank, cond)
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson: Scherzo for Solo Piano (William Chapman Nyaho, p)
William Grant Still: Africa (Fort Smith Symphony, John Jeter, cond)
Wed 2/24: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Florence Price: Fantasie Negre (Lara Downes, p)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Romance for Violin and Orchestra (Rachel Barton-Pine, v; Encore Chamber Orchestra, Daniel Hege, cond)
Libby Larsen: Holy Roller (Dan Goble, sax; Russell Hirshfield, p)
Valerie Coleman: Shotgun Houses (David Shifrin, cl; Harlem Quartet)
Thu 2/25: Black Codes
Valerie Coleman: Red Clay and Mississippi Delta (Imani Winds)
George Gershwin/Robert Russell Bennett: Porgy and Bess Suite (London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn, cond)
Florence Price: Mississippi River Suite (Women’s Philharmonic; Apo Hsu, cond)
Fri 2/26: Henry Thacker Burleigh in America's Reconstruction Era
Clarence Cameron White: Levee Dance No. 2 (Linda Rosenthal, v; Lincoln Mayorga, p)
William Levi Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony (Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Neeme Jarvi, cond)
Henry Thacker Burleigh: Southland Sketches (Arnold Steinhardt, v; Victor Steinhardt, p)
Mon 3/1: Ballet music of Wiilliam Grant Still
Errolyn Wallen: Mighty River (Orchestra X, Andrew Morley, cond)
Antonin Dvorak: Symphony No. 9, mov. 3, Goin' Home (Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, cond)
William Grant Still: Sahdji (Morgan State College Orchestra/Chorus, Paul Freeman,, cond)
Tue 3/2: Seven Last Words of the Unarmed
Michael Abels: Winged Creatures (Anthony McGill, cl; Demarre McGill, f; Chicago Youth Symphony, Michael Tinkham, cond)
Nathaniel Dett: Eight Bible Vignettes (Denver Oldham, p)
Joel Thompson: Seven Last Words of the Unarmed (Michigan State University Glee Club/Orchestra, Eugene Rogers, cond)
Wed 3/3: Paul Freeman the musician, conductor, and recording artist
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 (Stewart Goodyear, p)
Coleridge Taylor-Perkinson: Finale from Sinfonietta No. 1 (Sphinx Virtuosi, Damon Gupton, cond)
William Grant Still: Symphony No. 1 (London Symphony Orchestra, Paul Freeman, cond)
Thu 3/4: Feelin' Good
Traditional: Roll Jordan Roll (12 Years a Slave Cast, ft. Topsy Chapman and Chiwetel Ejiofor)
William Grant Still: A Deserted Plantation (Mark Boozer, p)
Anthony Newley/Leslie Bricusse: Feelin' Good (Vitamin String Quartet)
Fri 3/5: Selma and the 15th Amendment
Igantius Sancho: Minuet Suite (Afro-American Music Society Orchestra, Janise White)
Jason Moran: Final Speech from Selma (Paramount Studio Orchestra)
Florence Price: Dances in the Canebrakes (Chicago Sinfonietta, Mei-Ann Chen, cond)
Mon 3/8: "Blind Tom" Wiggins
Alysia Lee: Say Her Name (University of Michigan Virtual Choir)
“Blind Tom” Wiggins: Battle of Manassas/Cyclone Galop (John Davis, p)
William Grant Still: Symphony No. 2, Song of a New Race (Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Jarvi, cond)
