News and music to start your week!

Even in the middle of a pandemic, the BBC Proms has found a way to keep calm and carry on!  Plans are under way for a largely virtual season, and the potential for two weeks of live events in late August.  Read more at BBC News, and keep an eye on the WPA Blog for more once we know what works are being performed.  Organizers have announced, however, that the Last Night of the Proms is currently scheduled to be conducted by Dalia Stasevska, pictured above.

TODAY!  at 11am EDT join the organizers of The Dream Unfinished in a live community reading of Frederick Douglass’s oration “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” hosted by Terrance McKnight.  Guest readers from the worlds of classical music and activism, musical improvisation performed by violinist Curtis Steward of PUBLIQuartet.  Register for the event here!

Join The Boulanger Initiative for conversations about and performances of works by women composers on July 9th and 10th from 2-3pm (EDT).  Learn more, and register for the FREE events, on their website.  Composers from the 18th century to today will be featured, with different composers and works featured each day.

While it’s sad that summer classes like the Young Women’s Composers Camp will not take place in person, the silver lining is that YWCC online workshops are being made available to all who are interested and who sign up.  Previous presentations are archived through Sept. 30!  Composer presentations include Kate Soper, Angélica Negrón, Nina C. Young, and Pamela Z.  Starting today, July 6, 5 PM EDT with Vivian Fung!

AND, ICYMI (we missed it) Anthony Davis’ opera “The Central Park Five,” won the Pulitzer Prize!  We hope to be able to see this timely work about racial injustice soon.  Here is a video about the making of the opera.  And here is the Pulitzer Prize announcement.

Please stay safe and let us know what we missed!  [email protected]