myrtlehart.org - January 2008

I hope this eNewsletter finds all of you well. This month, the celebration of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. in concert are just as prevalent as last month's Messiah and next month's Porgy and Bess. Luckily, the works performed differ as do the performing ensembles and individuals.

I'm so pleased that this publication is growing as is the readership. If this is your first time reading or receiving the MHS eNewsletter, welcome! We deliver the news (*yawn*) with insight and personality (yippee!). To all of my dedicated readers, welcome back and as always, thank you for your continued support.

Dulcetly,
Rashida Naomi Black
Founder/Executive Director

The Myrtle Hart Society (MHS), a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was founded to promote the achievements of classical musicians of color and to develop new audiences for classical music among people of color. We use electronic and other media to "illuminate the accomplishments of classical musicians of color" and to help encourage increased participation in the musical arts through the mediums of education, research and performance. This helps to nurture and maintain higher standards of artistic excellence among our musicians and to forge new partnerships with orchestras and arts organizations across the United States. Our membership includes classical instrumentalists, vocalists, composers and conductors of African descent from Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, and the Caribbean. MHS believes that the diverse backgrounds of our members ameliorate the future of classical music.

Many many thanks to our recent Founding Sponsor, the Ritz Chamber Players, for their generous gift.

Ensemble du Monde, Lori-Kaye Miller and FredO

I've never met anyone as excited about performing and eager to make beautiful music as pianist Marlon Daniel, conductor of Ensemble du Monde. This month, he will perform Dance Revolutions, a concert of ballet music for chamber orchestra featuring mezzo-soprano Lori-Kaye Miller and the NY premiere of composer Fred ("FredO") Onovwerosuoke's Meditation for Darfur (2006). I saw the Chicago premiere performed by Sinfonietta and it was fantastic! Also on the program Copland's Appalachian Spring and Manuel de Falla's El Amor Brujo (1915).

This performance will be spectacular! Make sure you are present on Saturday, January 26 at 8:00 PM in the Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 69^th Street, New York. Better yet, get your tickets early from the Merkin Hall box office!

Maestro Dunner conducts Alabama Symphony

Maestro Leslie B. Dunner grew up in New York, Harlem and the South Bronx in a working class family. His father worked for the city and his mother worked as a social worker and community activist. He grew up taking African dance and was the youngest performer at the 1964 New York World's Fair. In addition, he has toured nationally and internationally performing on his clarinet. I've seen him conduct the Joffrey Ballet, and I can tell you, he's so involved with every nuance, he emotes the music often letting it move his body around on the podium. His is a natural love of classical music that was nurtured and allowed to grow. This is the result.

Maestro Dunner will conduct the Alabama Symphony Orchestra with soloist Timothy Jones, bass baritone. "A Community Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." January 20 at Alys Stephens Center, Jemison Concert Hall (Birmingham) at 3:00 PM.

Maestro Tipton in Atlanta and Cleveland

Continuing with my random facts, I came across a little bit about Maestro Chelsea Tipton II who has conducted many orchestras around the world. You can read about all those accomplishments in his bio, but here's something you won't read: he also conducted (and really enjoyed conducting) the premier of The Machine & Symphonic Pink Floyd with the Detroit Symphony in July 2007. I love PF, so I found it especially refreshing that Maestro Tipton did too! You must respect a conductor who invites variety into his life.

Here's what he said:
"If you would pass this along to the guys in the Machine. What a gas it was to work with you guys. As a Classical musician it is great to dig in and make new musical discoveries. I had heard the music of Pink Floyd however this experience allowed me a chance to examine the music in depth and what great music. You all were good fun to work with, dedicated and the audience LOVED IT! The orchestra loved it. Best wishes to you all in the upcoming season. I look forward to our next encounter."
Peace to you all,
Chelsea, 2

You won't get Pink Floyd arrangements, but Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's 16^th annual Gospel Christmas "King Celebration" honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is not one to be missed! Maestro Tipton is joined by Andrew Young and the Morehouse/Spelman Glee Clubs. Program includes William Dawson's "Ain't That Good News." Thursday, January 17 at 8:00 PM, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309.

From ATL to CLE, Maestro Tipton is definitely racking up on the frequent flier miles. Catch him with the Cleveland Orchestra, Central State University Chorus and Martin Luther King Celebration Chorus on Sunday, January 20 at 7:00 PM, Severance Hall for Cleveland Orchestra's 28th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Concert. This event is free.

Maestro Atwater in Baltimore

I'm always in awe of composers who exhibit "spontaneous composition." That is, they obviously have many complex ideas, but so casually articulate one or two onto paper minutes before a concert. (I'm telling secrets today.) I recently came across a piece of manuscript paper in my stack of music on which Darin Atwater did just that. Composing was to him as easy as Langston Hughes scribbling poetry--not a burst of creativity but rather a natural extension of self. Atwater sketched some notes on the page and gently handed it to me with a polite "play this" nod. HA! It was like he knew it would work without hearing it actually played with the other instruments. Just knew. And it did.

Go hear Soulful Symphony. The music composed or arranged by Atwater grows organically and is executed by the orchestra and choir effortlessly.

'Nuff said. Soulful Symphony celebrates the State of Maryland's 22nd Annual Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. takes place on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 at 8:00 PM.

Maestro Eddins performs in Charlotte

I've not met Maestro William Eddins, but I can just tell by looking at his homepage that he's a fun (funny) guy to hang out with. His podcast was great too. (What happened to that, Bill?) And have you seen the cover of his CD?? HA! I don't even know what to say.

This month, he'll both conduct and perform on the piano with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Program includes Tchaikovsky's Fifth and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25. Friday, January 11 & Saturday, January 12 at 8:00 PM at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center - Belk Theater.

The Dream Lives On with Chicago Sinfonietta

I love living in Chicago. There's always something new and interesting going on, especially at the Chicago Sinfonietta. What other highly diverse orchestra combines jazz, dance, gospel, multimedia, and classical so frequently? The Dream Lives On is Sinfonietta's annual tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The thought behind the concert conveys the notion that "Dr. King's message is too grand for any one art form to fully express."

The Chicago Sinfonietta will be joined by Sphinx competition winners violinists Christina Castelli and Melissa White (pictured) who will perform Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges' Symphonie Concertante, Op.13 (Concerto for two violins and orchestra), the Deeply Rooted Dance Theater who will present a World Premiere set to Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, and the mighty Apostolic Church of God Sanctuary Choir who will definitely get the crowd clapping and smiling. I know where I'll be King weekend!

Program also includes Adolphus Hailstork's Celebration. Sunday, January 20 at 3:00 PM at Lund Auditorium, Dominican University, 7900 W. Division in River Forest. Monday, January 21 at 7:30 PM at Orchestra Hall, Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan in Chicago. Tickets: Prices range from $26-$40 for concerts at Lund Auditorium at Dominican University, and from $26-$96 for concerts at Orchestra Hall, with special pricing available for children and students. Box Office: Call 312-236-3681 ext. 2 or visit www.chicagosinfonietta.org

Brownlee and Owens in Chicago

photo by HARRY HELEOTIS

Last month, a patron wrote to me on the December Vocalists edition of the eNewsletter:

"I must inform you that you've left one of the biggest names off of the list. My dear friend Lawrence Brownlee is quite possibly the best light tenor voice in the world right now. He's made his debuts at the MET, La Scala, Vienna, Covent Garden, etc.. . recorded with the Berlin Philharmonic as soloist, released a solo CD and much more. Check out www.lawrencebrownlee.com. He is THE MAN."

This touched my heart. I love the promotion of friends! It shows pride, support and demonstrates a genuine belief that the friend really is something amazing. It's what I do every month with these publications.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus proudly present Lawrence Brownlee and Eric Owens in Mozart's Mass in C Minor on Thursday, January 24, 8:00 PM, Friday, January 25, 8:00 PM, Saturday, January 26, 8:00 PM, and Sunday, January 27, 3:00 PM. Please be sure to check out Lawrence's web site to see his other upcoming concerts. He's not to be missed!

Grace Notes

FYI

A good friend forwarded to me this YouTube spot which I think is rightly aligned with the Myrtle Hart Society: BET does not represent me Campaign.

Ritz Chamber Players Award Ceremony and Concert

Do you like surprises? Well this is one to anticipate! The Ritz Chamber Players upcoming concert 6th Annual "In Remembrance of the Dream" will honor a Living Legend with award ceremony and performance. Just who it is as of yet is unknown. Stay tuned!! The evening's program includes: Haydn "London" Trio No. 3 in G Major, for flute, violin, and cello; Ginastera Duo for flute and violin, Op. 13 (1945); Bloch Concertino for flute, viola, and piano (1948); Faure Piano Quartet No. 2 in G minor, Op. 45.

Thursday, January 24 at 7:30 PM. Tickets may be purchased online at the website or through the Jacksonville Symphony Box Office. Ritz Chamber Music Society, Inc., Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts 300 West Water Street, Suite 200 Jacksonville, Florida 32202. Box Office: 904-354-5547. Contact: Terrance Patterson - Artistic Director 904-472-4270.

11th Annual Sphinx Competition

Each year, the Sphinx Organization hosts America's most talented junior high through college-aged Black and Latino classical string students in Michigan for a week-long series of coachings, master classes, practice, competition and networking. The result of this highly-charged and exhausting jaunt is a nail-biting concert, the result of which produce performers who go on to tour the world (and get monetary prizes, I've been told). It's audience members versus colleagues/peers/friends versus judges! Sometimes these groups agree. A lot of the time, they don't. It's intense!

Tito Muñoz conducts this year's orchestra. Even if you can't attend this concert on Sunday, January 27 at 2:00 PM, you have the opportunity to hear past laureates Melissa White, Christina Castelli, Robert Alvarado Switala and Joseph Conyers this month in Chicago, Hartford and Michigan respectively.

Job Search announcement for Project STEP

Project STEP (String Training and Education Program), a Boston-based string education program for Black and Latino youth, prepares talented music students of color to enter the profession of classical music by providing an intense and comprehensive program of study. Project STEP is searching for an Artistic Director to continue to develop their mission to identify, train, and guide exceptional young Black and Latino string players for careers in the classical music profession as soloists, teachers, chamber music performers and orchestra members.

From the post: The Project STEP Artistic Director, reporting to the President of the Board, is responsible for all aspects of the students' musical training and enrichment. Job duties for this position include, but are not limited to: the establishment of program artistic standards that support the program's mission, student selection and monitoring, teacher selection and monitoring, communication with parents, the supervision of the Assistant Artistic Director and the FOCUS program (Project STEP's program for kindergarten students from which the first students are selected), the supervision of the Project STEP instrument collection, and the coordination of performances. The Artistic Director works closely with the Board President, the Executive Director and the Program Coordinator to implement the program.

Visit their website for more information. Qualifications: Minimum Bachelor's degree in string instrument performance, music education, or related field. 5 years of relevant job experience. Ability to relate to diverse constituencies. Send resume, cover letter and names of three references to: Artistic Director Search, Project STEP, Inc., Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4557. Or e-mail your submission to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with "Artistic Director Search" in the subject line.

Hot Topic!

Have you been keeping up with the weekly Hot Topic! articles? If not here's what you missed:

Black in Canada want Black-focused school was a news article that continued the MHS conversation on inclusion versus segregation in large groups, i.e. orchestras and organizations.

On Black Men & Boys questioned the definition of "masculinity" and touched on the media portrayal of young males (and subsequent pressure to perpetuate such roles).

Classical Music & Today's Youths took the story and music of Romeo & Juliet and suggested that director/conductors use their time with youths in more ways than one including initiating conversation with their students about topics that related their own life experiences, connecting their lives to classical music which oftentimes seems distant and contemporarily irrelevant. Readers had a LOT to say about this one!

Robert Alvarado Switala, violinist

The Hartford Symphony Orchestra will present its ninth annual "I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King Celebration" concert on Saturday, January 19 at 6:00 PM at Hopewell Baptist Church (80 Windsor Avenue in Windsor) featuring Tony Award winning actor Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls). Same concert, 1st place Junior Division Laureate from the 10th Annual Sphinx Competition,14-year-old Texas native and violinist Robert Alvarado Switala. (I saw this competition. He was phenomenal!)

Joseph Conyers, bass

You ever read those "30 under 30" stories about amazing youths doing impressive things? Well, Grand Rapids Symphony principal bassist Joseph Conyers should be included in one of those. He's obviously talented, but in addition to his symphony gig, he teaches private lessons, performs at schools, teaches at Calvin College and runs a nonprofit music education group in Savannah, Georgia! Conyers was appointed principal double bassist in 2005. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, he studied with both Hal Robinson, principal bass of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Edgar Meyer.

See him In the Spotlight Rising Stars Series, Thursday, January 3 at 7:30 PM and Friday, January 4 at 8 PM - Royce Auditorium, St. Cecilia Music Center. Program includes Bartok's Divertimento, John B Hedges's Prayers of Wind and Rain (World Premiere) and Bizet's Symphony in C.

Jesus Amigo in Greenville

Conductor of the Extremadura Symphony Orchestra in Madrid Spain, Jesus Amigo began his musical life at age seven under the care of his father, an orchestra violinist. It's no wonder that along with flute and piano, he excelled at conducting. Maestro Amigo specializes in music by Spanish composers. He exemplifies the need for composers of all races who understand and can articulate music from their cultures to share it with the masses. This is globalization at its most promising!

See Jesus Amigo conduct the Greenville Symphony in Spanish Nights at the The Peace Center Concert Hall Saturday, January 12 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, January 13 at 3:00 PM. Tickets: $15 - $45. Program includes Hugo Wolf's Der Corregidor Suite, Manuel De Falla's El Sombrero de Tres (Three-Cornered Hat) Suite No. 1 and Brahms's Symphony No. 1.

Adina Aaron in Hartford

I know I'm supposed to say something about soprano Adina Aaron's impressive bio, but you know I'm not one for the beaten path. (Besides, you can read her bio here.) What often surprises me about the astounding people that bless this publication is how multi-talented they are. As concerns Ms. Aaron, she had to choose between a scholarship in basketball or music studies. She obviously chose music, but what a dichotomy! In addition, the award-winning soprano is the founder and managing director of the Ritual Theatre Company.

Hartford Symphony A New Year celebration of Viennese classics - favorites of the Strauss family, plenty of surprises and the "The Blue Danube Waltzes". Metlife Foundation Masterworks Series. Tuesday, January 8 at 7:30 PM and Wednesday, January 9 at 7:30 PM. Mortensen Hall. The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, Hartford.

Kalamazoo Symphony performs Sowande

More than just a composer and instrumentalist, Fela Sowande was a professor and philosopher. He is quoted as saying:

Be open to conviction, but refuse to be convinced until conviction becomes a necessity. In other words, do not imprison your mind in the padded cell of the comfortable rut of your own preferred beliefs, prejudices, biases, or egocentricity.
~ The Learning Process: "Standard Rules for the Student"

Can you hear wisdom in instrumental music? It's worth a try. The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra performs Sowande's African Suite for Strings (which has a fantastic harp part!) on their MLK Jr. concert We Have a Dream Saturday, January 19 at 8:00 PM, Miller Auditorium. Featuring Von Washington, Sr., Narrator and Raymond Harvey, Conductor. Prelude talk by Maestro Harvey at 7pm. Also on the program Joseph Schwantner's New Morning for the World and R. Strauss's Death and Transfiguration.

Lisa Muci, violin

One work on this program, Purcell's Incidental Music from The Moor's Revenge, caught my attention. When I think of the antiquated (in this country at least) word "Moor," I resolve it to be the precursor to (medieval term used before) the modern all-enveloping American word "Black," which is currently used to described peoples of African descent. So naturally, I had to find out what this "Moor's Revenge" was based on. Turns out it's a tragic play also known as Abdelazer which was published in 1657 by Aphra Behn's (1640?-1689). It apparently tells the story of "a vengeful wicked Moor, whose kingdom has been vanquished by Spain, who tires of his affair with the lascivious Queen of Spain and plots with her to murder the King, thinking to murder her afterwards, and reign with his innocent young wife. However, the Queen in her turn kills his wife, and plots to take her son's throne." (Literary Encyclopedia) What a twist! I sure wish I could hear that. And of course, see the talented Lisa Muci. If you go, let me know!

Knoxville Symphony performs Sunday, January 20 at 2:30 PM, Bijou Theatre featuring Lisa Muci, Violin. Program also includes Bach's Concerto for Oboe and Violin and Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

Stewart Goodyear, piano

Apparently, Stewart Goodyear "is one of the rare classical musicians who improvises his cadenzas when performing concertos from the classical period."

As an undergrad, I was often present during some heated debates between the classical and jazz folks regarding improvisation. Some jazz musicians argued that improvisation was a recent (20th century) phenomenon describing music composed extemporaneously. Some classical musicians countered that nothing is ever produced without prior preparation. To them, practice equaled premeditation and therefore nothing produced therein could be "an unplanned expedient" and wasn't improvisation really just another word for embellishment or ornamentation, a style of seemingly spontaneous composition during the performance in which the performer creates a musical idea based in and around the key like was done by J.S. Bach?! (Yeah, that's what was argued in my Northeastern conservatory. It's not earth-shattering, but it's relevant.)

Maybe someone in Seattle or Louisville can ask Stewart what he thinks.

Seattle Symphony presents Musically Speaking: Beethoven's Fifth Symphony conducted Gerard Schwarz performing Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466, Beethoven: Symphony No. 5. Sunday, January 6 at 2:00 PM, S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium.

Goodyear performs Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with Louisville Orchestra on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Concert, Sunday, January 20 at 3:00 PM at the Brown Theatre. Concert is free and open to the public. The celebration begins at 2pm in the lobby with the Louisville Leopard Percussionists.

The concert will also feature the Messengers for Christ Choir and the world premiere of Make Gentle the Life of This World by Louisville Orchestra trombonist and composer Raymond Horton.

Aundi Marie Moore, soprano

NBC4.com DC Scene Contributor, Chris Gerard, described soprano Aundi Marie Moore as "stunning. Her soaring vocals thrilled the crowd on 'Ave Maria,' and Hamlisch's new original composition 'Chanukah Lights'. Moore's powerful voice and graceful stage presence made a lasting impact, and she certainly seems to be a young talent on the rise. Her smile was enough to light up the entire room." Need I add my two cents?

New World Symphony, Saturday, January 19 at 8:00 PM. Made In America: Symphony with a Splash at the Lincoln Theatre. NWS is even offering a complimentary happy hour before the performance "to network with other professionals." Uh, yeah...

New York Pops with Porgy & Bess

Our first P&B of the year! (Many more to follow next month, for sure.) Since I can only upload one picture per article with PatronMail, I had to make a tough decision with this article featuring four notable vocalists. I decided to go with tenor Howard Haskins for a number of reasons including the fact that he has never before graced this publication. Also, upon seeing his name, I suddenly remembered reading about him in my formative research days.

I was introduced to Mr. Haskins through the writings of musicologist Dr. Eileen Southern while discussing with a jazz friend the history of the "European migration phenomenon" as he called it wherein Black American musicians found more and better career opportunities (and less prejudice) in Europe than in America. The excerpt I cited for him came from The Music of Black Americans: A History in which Southern states:

Almost without exception the leading opera singers of the 1960s had first to win laurels with European opera companies before they were invited to join the important American companies (p. 533)

Of the many names listed was Haskins.

(It's a convoluted story, but I'm going to talk about Porgy & Bess so much next month, I thought I'd talk about something different now. In addition, I will most likely turn this into a Hot Topic! article so if others out there feel its still easier to find work in Europe, please email me.)

New York Pops presents Great Moments from Porgy and Bess: George Gershwin (1898-1937) featuring soprano Morenike Fadayomi, soprano Angela Renée Simpson, tenor Howard Haskins and bass baritone Kevin Short in Porgy & Bess on Friday, January 25 at 8:00PM, Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage.

Jubilant Sykes, baritone

Have you ever seen anyone perform Copland's "I Bought Me A Cat" from Old American Songs? It's amazing. And I hear from a vocalist that it's really difficult to keep in order. The final stanza lyrics:

I bought me a wife
My wife pleased me
I fed my wife under yonder tree
My wife says "Honey, honey"
My horse says "Neigh, Neigh"
My cow says "Baw, baw"
My pig says "Griffey, griffey"
My hen says "Shinny shack, shimmy shack"
My goose says "Quaw, quaw"
My duck says "Quaa, quaa"
My cat says fiddle eye fee.

Every time you see a sound in quotes, it represents the vocalist actually imitating the animal or different voice type. Can you imagine that? It's spectacular to see this in concert. I saw baritone Jubilant Sykes perform this with Chicago Sinfonietta with aplomb... Youngstown, you're in for a treat!

Youngstown Symphony presents Americana, Saturday, January 12 at 8:00 PM. Program: Adams's Short Ride on a Fast Machine, Copland's Old American Songs, Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, E minor (from the New World).

Jubilant Sykes pays tributes to the music of Nat King Cole and Paul Robeson. Hear memorable songs like "Unforgettable," "Mona Lisa," and "Ramblin' Rose." William Henry Curry conducts 2007-08 Fidelity Investments Pops Series: Evening: A Tribute to Nat King Cole and Paul Robeson

North Carolina Symphony at Meymandi Concert Hall on Friday, January 18 at 8:00 PM, Saturday, January 19 at 8:00 PM, Sunday, January 20 at 3:00 PM.

Bobby McFerrin, conductor/vocalist performs with Pacific Symphony

In 1955, Marian Anderson (1897-1993) became the first African American to perform at the Met. Robert McFerrin Sr. (1921-2006) was the first African American male to sing at The Met the very same year. Robert McFerrin Sr. is of course the father of the 10-time Grammy Award-winning vocal innovators and world-renowned classical conductor-vocalist Bobby McFerrin. I'm pretty sure he's broken some world records as well.

See Bobby McFerrin conduct and perform with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra on January 10-12. Program includes Prokofiev's Symphony No. 1, "Classical," Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Cellos and Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4, "Italian." at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

"His work influenced everything I do musically. His musical influence was absolutely profound.I can not do anything without me hearing his voice." Bobby McFerrin on his father Robert Mcferrin, operatic baritone

(provided by Lisa Bryce)

Philly Orchestra performs works by Black composers

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's "Danse nègre," from African Suite has been called a "symphonic masterpiece." Times Critic W. C. Berwick-Sayers had this to say: "An African Suite, with its deeply poetical "Negro Love Song," is worth a good many New World symphonies, for it has the genuine national or racial ring about it." (Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Musician: His Life and Letters, London: Cassell & Co., Ltd., 1915, 258.) That work will be performed along with Dawson's Third movement from Negro Folk Symphony, Lee's First movement from Beyond Rivers of Vision and others.

Under the baton of Thomas Wilkins, hosted by Charlotte Blake Alston (pictured), the Philadelphia Orchestra will perform Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert with the Philadelphia All City Choir and Martin Luther King Jr. High School on Monday, January 21 at 7:00 PM. Free tickets will be available on January 2, 2008.

Kevin Deas, bass

"I hope to make my Greatest reputation as an arranger of Negro Spirituals. In Negro Spirituals my race has pure gold." Harry T. Burleigh (provided by Lisa Bryce).

Hear pure gold when Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra celebrates African American culture this month in a concert honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., composer Harry Burleigh and jazz legends Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Program includes Burleigh's Deep River, Dvorak's "New World" Symphony and soloist Kevin Deas singing Goin' Home - Burleigh's spiritual that inspired Dvorak to write his symphony.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents A Tribute to African American Heroes on Tuesday, January 15 at 8:00 PM. featuring Dr. Helen Faison, host, Kevin Deas, bass and the Pittsburgh Interfaith Choir. Tickets: $5, $15 and $25. Come early at 7pm and stay after the concert to hear "Jazz at the Hurricane" presented by the Hill House Association. An audience reception will follow the concert. Sweet!

The Sopranos: Rochester, NY

A review in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says of soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams: "She has a poised and powerful stage presence, even when she simply props an elbow on the piano lid and sings. But the most astonishing thing about Williams is her musical sensitivity and maturity...Rich and easy resonance, not brassy volume, is the hallmark of her singing...She lavishes love and insight on the music...Williams' singing was about the music, not about the sound of her own voice."

Hear Williams and soprano Janinah Burnett with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Opera in "Don Giovanni" on Friday, January 18 at 8:00 PM and Sunday January 20 at 2 PM, Eastman Theatre in Rochester, NY.

Vinson Cole, tenor

Currently on staff at my alma mater New England Conservatory, tenor Vinson Cole once said:

Unfortunately there are still prejudices when it comes to a black male opera singer performing. Not from your colleagues. I never experienced any problem with a colleague in my entire life. But with companies who haven't told me, but have informed my management that they couldn't hire a black singer with a [white] female partner. It hurts. You'd think that in the ‘90s we'd have come further than that. When that happens, you become discouraged a little bit, but then you look at companies that have hired you, and you think, "I'd rather work someplace that wants me as a performer."

Syracuse Symphony sure does.

Syracuse Symphony and Opera Chorus present Post-Standard Classics Series, an All-Beethoven concert: the seldom heard Romance No. 2 in F Major, Op. 50 for violin and orchestra, Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92 and Selections from Fidelio. Mulroy Civic Center Theater Friday, January 25 and Saturday, January 26 at 8:00 PM.

Donnie Ray Albert, baritone

Baton Rouge, Louisiana native dramatic baritone Donnie Ray Albert made his operatic debut in Scott Joplin's Treemonisha with the Houston Grand Opera and was awarded a Grammy for his performance in Porgy & Bess with the same company. See him perform a selection of Opera's most unforgettable arias from The Marriage of Figaro, Tannhäuser, Rigoletto, Tales of Hoffmann, Martha and The Pearl Fishers.

Albert stars in Gem at the Arizona Opera. Phoenix: January 24-26 7:30 PM and Sunday, January 27 2:00 PM Symphony Hall.

Christin-Marie Hill, soprano

Not so long ago, dramatic mezzo-soprano Christin-Marie Hill went to Paris to work toward a doctoral degree in French literature. During her studies, the rising star realized that she much rather enjoyed singing. After returning to her native Evanston, Ill., Hill earned a master's degree in vocal performance from the University of Illinois and is earning her doctorate from the University of Kansas under the tutelage of Joyce Castle, an internationally known mezzo-soprano. She is currently a Resident Artist at the Minnesota Opera.

This month she will perform as Gertrude in the Minnesota Opera production of Romeo and Juliet by Charles Gounod. January 26, 29 & 31, 2008 at 7:30pm in Ordway Center (Also February 2, 2008 7:30 pm Sunday February 3, 2008 2:00 pm.)

In loving memory of Jerome A. Ashby (1956-2007)

Go Myrtle!

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