News and music to start your week!
TODAY we celebrate the publication of the long-awaited The Heart of a Woman: The Life and Music of Florence B. Price, by Dr. Rae Linda Brown, from the University of Illinois Press. (June 22 is listed by Amazon as the publication date, but hey, best to buy from the publisher). On Friday, Feb. 26 (2 pm EDT) the Florence Price Festival will hold an on-line event, described here, on Facebook (and also at this website, pricefest.org/live.) Three panelists will bring together perspectives on Dr. Brown’s legacy: Dr. Carlene Brown will narrate the life of her late sister from a professional and personal standpoint. Guthrie Ramsey, a musicologist based at the University of Pennsylvania, will explore what Brown achieved in the writing of this biography, and clarifies his task in the editing of the book for publication after Brown’s unexpected death. Finally, C.E. Aaron, an emerging scholar beginning graduate work in theomusicology, will outline the contents of the new Rae Linda Brown collection at Emory University and suggest possible next steps this collection presents for scholars of Florence Price.
Errolyn Wallen, composer
I Care If You Listen reminds readers of their 2019 conversation with Errollyn Wallen (pictured). The British composer and performer has also discussed the intersection of music and racism on BBC Radio 3. Learn more on her website.
Fahad Siadat wrote a reflection for NewMusicBox about segregation and representation in choral music. As well as identifying challenges, Siadat makes suggestions that anyone committed to the world of choral music can help enact in their own singing communities. This is a problem that we can fix, if we are willing to address it in the first place.
Last summer saw the premiere of Blue, a new opera about police brutality, at the Glimmerglass Festival. NPR reported on the original performance. This week the New York Times spoke to the librettist, Tazewell Thompson, about the continued relevance of the work and his collaboration with composer Jeanine Tesori.
So many exciting events! Be sure to tell us what you are following! [email protected]