Top » Shopping

african-americans in the classical scene

February is black history month, so now would be a great time to explore the often pitifully unrecognized contribtutions of African-Americans to classical music composition and performance. One place to start your learning is the Classical Music in Black and White website. An offshoot of an NPR series, the site provides a collection of interviews with musical experts, like Wynton Marsalis and conductor Henry Lewis, in which these luminaries discuss the links between black people and classical music. Don't miss the Q&A with Dominique-Rene de Lerma for some astute histororical perspective, and make sure to click on Resources for a list of several must-listen recordings. I found myself honestly enthralled by the unique offerings here--do yourself a real favor and take a look.

Tue, 08 Feb 2000 06:03:10 -0800