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Dear Readers,

I just received yet another thank you letter from a musician who was hired for a gig after being featured in the MHS eNewsletter! The note demonstrates the usefulness of this monthly publication. In addition to illuminating the accomplishments of the classical community of color, we pay homage to those in the community doing wonderful things with this newsletter.

This month, I figured that we were all busy with summer festivals, camps and more, so I've decided to feature performance reviews from our MHS eNewsletter readers. The contributing authors told me that they absolutely love attending concerts, so we decided to share their concert-going experience with you.

Thank you so much for reading and finding the value in MHS. 

Musically yours,
Rashida N. Black

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soprano Sibongile Boyd and pianist Arlene Shrut, glowing after their triumphant performance

Review of Sibongile Boyd's Vocal Recital
by Amy Hondo  

On Saturday, May 31, soprano Sibongile Boyd and pianist Arlene Shrut presented an evening of vocal music at the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Paul (NYC). While the warm spring air hinted of blossoms and thunderstorms, the audience gathered beneath the vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows of the small sanctuary. Both the weather outside and the church within seemed a perfect complement to the performance that ensued.    

Ms. Boyd began with the songs of Bellini ("Il fervido desiderio", "La farfaletta", and "Vaga luna, che inargenti") with melodic lines that were especially clear and sweet.  This triad was nicely echoed in the concert's final three pieces, a set of spirituals ("Spiritual", "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands", and "His Name so Sweet"). Both sets demonstrated the emotional power of a clear melodic line.  They also anchored the recital's other pieces through the shared themes of the love's pain and life's joy.  Ms. Boyd's vocal versatility was evident throughout, moving easily from the styles of Mozart to Strauss.   She is particularly adept at translating the music to the audience in her physical and emotional presence.   

I was especially moved by Ms. Boyd's interpretation of Schubert's "Gretchen am Spinnrade" and T. Bishop's "Low! Hear the Gentle Lark."  "Gretchen am Spinnrade" is a heady piece, the piano creating the steady dramatic whirr of a spinning wheel while the spinstress sings about the emptiness of lost love.  In great contrast, Ms. Boyd later sang "Low! Hear the Gentle Lark" in which the she painted the tumble and rise of a happy lark greeting the dawn. This song requires great vocal agility as well as ease and a sense of humor. I was impressed by Ms. Boyd's ability-through music, word, and gesture--to convince the audience of both life's sorrows and delightfulness.   

Finally, I was reminded of how the relationship between artist and audience can change the experience of a performance.  This audience was clearly well acquainted with Ms. Boyd, personally and professionally.  It is a special opportunity to share one's music with the people who appreciate the content but also the personal context in which it was created.  As a result, the role of the audience member changes, because they are no longer merely listeners, but also contributors to the work that culminates in song.   We are in an era that emphasizes music as an object to be compartmentalized, recorded, distributed, and purchased by an audience that is likewise packaged in assumptions about demographic preferences.  Artist, art, and consumer are separated into distinct pieces.  Concerts such as this one demonstrate that when the audience and the performer are part of a meaningfully connected community, a new element of the performance emerges.  We move beyond the transmission of individual sound to individual ear, to a place where music is the way to enter together into the hum of collective understanding.   It is very difficult to feel this elusive element when listening to recordings at home, or recording alone in the studio.  This experience is reserved for special, community-rich performances, which, as it turns out, sometimes happen at church.  

Ms. Boyd is a graduate of Harvard University and is currently completing a Master of Music Degree at Binghamton University.  Dr. Arlene Shrut, pianist and faculty member at the Julliard School, performed alongside Ms. Boyd. Look for Ms. Boyd in her upcoming role this summer as Zerlina in the Delaware Valley Opera's Production of Don Giovanni.

Amy Hondo is a writer, educator, and advocate interested in the intersections of the arts, education, and social justice.  She lives in NYC and works on various projects that strengthen the learning environments and opportunities available to public school students.

vocalist Anwar Robinson and writer Kimberly Raymond

Anwar Robinson Performs at NJPAC
by Kimberly Raymond

Beyond first impressions, beyond compliments, and way beyond talent, Anwar Robinson is heading straight for the top.

If you've ever watched American Idol, you'll know that when many of its contestants are voted off, so is their fame.  Being voted off leads to a downfall, right?  Well, not in Robinson's case.  This phenomenal musician's fame is just augmenting.  It was an honor to attend the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)'s 13^th Annual Community Partners Concert.  The first half of the concert featured the New Jersey Symphony, but after intermission, the brilliant Robinson stole the show.  It was amazing seeing Robinson up on stage being accompanied by the New Jersey Symphony. 

Robinson's repertoire consisted of a few jazzy songs, a few Broadway musical selections, and an original composition.  Before Robinson sang his original composition, Chosen, he mentioned that his mother asked him to write a song for breast cancer and Robinson admitted that he didn't know what to write. 

"It was a year after my mom had asked me to compose what was to become ‘Chosen'," said Robinson.  "The day was her birthday and I just sat and God gave me the chord progressions and the words flowed like fresh water.  All of this happened in less than two hours." 

Chosen is a beautifully poignant masterpiece.  In this song, Robinson was backed up by three lovely vocalists.  The performance brought tears to the eyes of Robinson's fans.  After Robinson's final performance, he received a standing ovation and was summoned for an encore.  Robinson modestly walked back onto the stage and made his way to the orchestra piano.  With the exception of the spotlight on the piano, all the lights in NJPAC's theater were turned off.  Everyone, from the smallest infant, to the eldest adult, was at the edge of their seats listening intently as Robinson sung from his heart.  The emotional encore was a song Robinson created for his father who was murdered in 1998.  The song was indescribable. 

In 2005, the year Robinson was voted off American Idol, I interviewed a few of his fans.  When Valerie Carrington, a math professor of DeVry University and Sherry Sooknanan, a vocal teacher in Washington, were asked how they would imagine Robinson to be off stage, they both responded, "the same."  Indeed, off stage Robinson is the same modest person he is on stage.  After the show, he put off his interview because he wanted to first greet all the members of his family.  No matter where fame is taking him, Robinson remains genuine and sincere to who he is and where he came from.

As people exited the theater after Robinson's final performance, many satisfied comments could be heard.  An elderly woman in the fourth row of the orchestra seats remained seated, as if in awe, for a while after Robinson's tribute to his father.  Then, as she stood up, her sole comment was, "that was definitely worth the money."

Without a doubt, seeing Robinson perform was worth every penny and more.  Robinson said he can be expected in the New Jersey/New York area in mid-July or late August of this year.  I know I will definitely want to be first in line to see him. 

Robinson was asked if there was anything he wanted to mention to his fans, and he responded: "The words ‘thank you; can't encompass how grateful I am to have supporters of my art.  I hope that my life and work has inspired greatness and that I can continue to make a positive impact in the world."   

Kimberly Raymond, age 16, is a senior at the Academy for Allied Health Sciences in Scotch Plains, NJ. She is a musician/pianist, dancer, writer and composer. Kimberly plans to become a pediatrician or child psychiatrist.

Haitian-American pianist, Suki Guerrier, graced the stage of Purchase Conservatory of Music's recital hall, in an elegant, yet simple beige pleated dress, her hair swept back in a beautiful side bun. The concert began with a heartfelt rendition of Amazing Grace, in commemoration of her beloved and renowned friend, Kip Collins.

The theme "Dreams of Haiti" was inspired by Suki's exposure as a young girl to the music of the famous Haitian composer's Ludovic Lamothe, Henrie Etienne, Frank Lassegue (amongst others), and the sounds of traditional folklore music, which was infused with strong drum beats, dance, and soulful singing. While visiting Haiti in the summer of 2007, she had the fortune to meet pianist extraordinaire Micheline Laudun Denis, who encouraged and assisted in the orchestration of Ms. Guerrier's first performance in Haiti. The performance was a "passing of the torch," a rite of passage for the young musician, leaving the pianist to realize that she had indeed come full circle.

Ms. Guerrier's Haitian music selection was that of Ludovic Lamothe (1882-1953, born in Port-au-Prince), one of Haiti's most celebrated composers. The pieces Tango, La Dangereuse in E Major, Danse Espagnol in A minor, Habanera Danza No.1, & Souvenir were as you may have guessed, dance pieces, capturing an essence of Haitian tradition, in a classical form. The music entranced the audience from beginning to end, ranging from playful soft music, to dark and sinister, forte/piano, passionate, light hearted, with spins on various dance moves such as a Viennese waltz, to a vivacious and sensual Latin dance. The music transposed ones soul and transported the audience to different worlds, time, and characters.

The next segment of the program was comprised of piano and soprano duets, with the very expressive and fierce soprano talent Colleen Beaumont, finished with the great piano/cello duet of cellist Carl Baron. The three operatic selections were: Morgen by Richard Strauss, Violon by Francis Poulenc, and D'amor Sull'Ali Rosee by Giuseppe Verdi. Ms. Colleen Beaumont delivered a powerful and passionate performance, conveying the various nuances of the love librettos, or the libretto that served as an ode to the violin. The audience was pleasantly surprised by this musician's tenacity and gentle beauty.

Mr. Carl Baron delivered two fine performances of Sonata in C Major, Op. 119 by Sergey Prokofiev & Sonata in A Major, Op. 69 by Ludwig van Beethoven. The first piece was full of playful runs, colorful conversations between piano and cello, dissonant sounds, energy, contrasts and vitality. The second piece was equally lively, with more contrasts between slow and fast tempos, engaging conversations between the dynamic duo, and heartfelt eminence by the cellist.

Ms. Guerrier provided exceptional accompaniment of guest musicians, emanating radiance, grace, and expressiveness every step of the way.

For the finale, Ms. Guerrier executed an exceptional performance of Beethoven's Sonata Op. 57- Appassionata (Allegro Assai), completely captivating and sweeping the audience in a whirlwind of fast notes, chords, contrasts in moods, and fingers commanding the entire range of keys on the piano. It was absolutely breathtaking and wonderful. This concert met and exceeded everyone's expectations, as one audience member stated, "It was a pure delight, a very memorable performance. Suki is a virtuoso, and the combination of piano & cello was totally delightful, and not to forget, the soprano who was exquisite." When asked about the future of classical music, a senior in High School commented, "When we study music in school it is mainly in the past. We need to keep it alive. Music is a big and important part of our culture, if we lose it; we're losing a big part of our culture."

It was truly refreshing to be a part of this inspirational and beautiful performance.

Boston, MA native Martina Green is a graduate of the Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts in Natick, MA. A violinist for 9 years, she attended programs such as Project STEP, New England Conservatory of Music prep, Boston University Tanglewood Institute. She currently resides in New York City where she is earning her master's degree in Arts & Cultural Management from the Pratt Institute.

Chicago is a great city and especially beautiful during the summer months. There are always a number of free, outdoor events to attend and all types of music to hear. The only classical music festival of its kind, the Grant Park Music Festival, presents 30 concerts between June 11 and August 16, typically on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, located between Michigan and Columbus Avenues at Washington Street. Here are some of the highlights:

Soprano Harolyn Blackwell performs in Gershwin's Greatest Hits on Friday, July 18 at 6:30 p.m. (Divertimento! benefit gala) and Saturday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m.

Hear William Grant Still's In Memoriam: The Colored Soldiers Who Died for Democracy in Exploring Music with Bill McGlaughlin: America Then and Now on Wednesday, July 2 at 8:00 p.m and Saturday, July 5 at 8:00 p.m.

Soprano Jonita Lattimore performs on a program with Tchaikovsky 6th, Sibelius The Captive Queen, Szymanowski Stabat Mater on Wednesday, July 9 at 6:30 p.m. and Friday, July 11 at 6:30 p.m.

Violinist and Sphinx Competition laureate Danielle Belen Nesmith performs the Brahms Violin Concerto, mvt III with the Boston Pops on Wednesday, July 2 at 8:00PM.

Detroit Symphony presents Mozart in the Meadow at the Meadow Brook Music Festival under the baton of conductor Thomas Wilkins on Saturday, July 26 at 8:00 PM. Program: Mozart's Overture to The Magic Flute, Piano Concerto No. 23, and Symphony No. 40. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.  You can buy them online using the link below or by calling 248-645-6666. Buy Tickets

Don't forget to subscribe to africlassical.blogspot.com for your up-to-the-minute news on the classical community of color!!

 The Sphinx Organization announces its search for an Artistic Administrator to oversee all logistical and implementation aspects of artistic programming, serve as the Assistant Director of the Sphinx Competition, oversee all programmatic and technical planning, as well as the execution of the program. Responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to, building and maintaining relationships with all orchestral, artistic and academic partners, securing performance opportunities for Sphinx Laureates (including the Harlem Quartet), artistic training and relations, as well as oversight of scholarship and others professional development programs. Fax resume and salary reqs to 313-887-0164 or E-MAIL to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

PRESS RELEASE

REGISTRATION BEGINS FOR THE FESTIVAL OF AFRICAN & AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSIC
FEBRUARY 12-15, 2009, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

Ten, make it ELEVEN concerts spread over four days! The performance-focused event for artists and scholars from all walks of life collaborating to celebrate music by African, African-American and other African-descent composers.  A marketplace for arts promoters of new music for orchestra and chamber groups. A market place for musical works by African-descent composers, and more. The acclaimed festival returns to St. Louis after rounds in New Orleans, Kansas City, Lagos (Nigeria) and Accra (Ghana). Featuring exciting concerts and lecture-recitals by some of the world's greatest artists and scholars.

Special Guests:
Nyaho-Garcia Piano Duo, Seattle, WA
Violinist Rachel Barton-Pine, Chicago, IL
Pianist Silvia Belfiore (Italy)
Oboist Althea Ifeka (UK)
Equinox Chamber Players, St. Louis  
Musicians of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Conductor Marlon Daniel (New York)
National Troupe of Nigeria
Winneba Youth Choir (Ghana)
St. Louis Children's Choirs
University City High School Choir
McCluer North High School Orchestra
Mehlville High School Band, Mehlville
Kirkwood Community College Concert Choir, Cedar Rapids, IA, and more!

Call Dr. Wendy Hymes or Ms. Ablawa Reine at 314-652-6800 for registration and general logistics questions. Or by email abstracts to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Scholarly papers, lecture-recital proposals no longer accepted. Online details and flier at http://africanchorus.org/ICMAD/FESAAM09.html