The Classics a Day team unanimously decided to make #BlackLivesMatter the theme for July. Classical music isn’t immune to systemic racism. It’s an art form that, like painting, sculpture, literature, or poetry, is a powerful form of expression for many voices. But some voices are heard more often than others. If you’d like to learn […]
Ulysses Kay
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Willam Dawson and Ulysses Kay — two sides of Black classical music
This release features two African-American composers with two very different styles. William Levi Dawson was a respected composer, teacher, and musicologist. He’s best remembered for his work in collecting and arranging African-American spirituals. Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony celebrates that heritage. Dawson creates a flowing orchestral narrative using snippets from various spirituals (and not just well-known […]
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#ClassicsaDay #BlackMusicMonth Week 2
Since 1979, June has been African-American Music Appreciation Month. The Classics a Day team decided to adopt it for the June 2019 theme as well. Popular music genres will no doubt be well-represented by others. We’ll be focusing on the composers, conductors, and performing artists of color who have contributed to classical music. For my […]
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#ClassicsaDay #WeWriteSymphonies Annotated List – Week 1
I’m a regular contributor to the #ClassicsaDay feed on Twitter. At a speech in Poland on 7/6/17, the President said, “The world has never known anything like our community of nations. We write symphonies.” The next day #WeWriteSymphonies appeared on Twitter, citing all the non-Western — and non-white — composers who do indeed write symphonies. […]