News and music to start your week!
The New York Times has an extensive feature of composer, violinist and teacher Jessie Montgomery, pictured above. Montgomery is one of the leading contemporary composers of 2021, with hundreds of performances in large and small ensembles, a residence at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and a commission calendar booked into the foreseeable future. She discusses her work, what it’s like to be a Black composer at this moment, and what she hopes to do in the future.
Albany Symphony presents Convergence Summit September 17-18, 2021, “a journey into Black creativity and expression,” with Curating Artists including Regina Carter. The Convergence Initiative is a three-year project.
We at WPA have been following, with great joy, the work of the Afghan Women’s Orchestra over many years. That ensemble is now officially silent due to regulations imposed by the Taliban. Reuters has the heartbreaking story of what the future looks like for women musicians in Afghanistan under the Taliban.
The Los Angeles Times reflects on Dudamel’s former Conducting Fellows and where they are now. The simple answer is that they are often doing amazing things! Included in their ranks are Tianyi Lu, Ruth Reinhardt, Gemma New, Marta Gardolinska, and Migra Gražinytė-Tyla.
The Library of Congress has announced their line up of Fall Concerts. Though they are not including works by any historic women composers, two contemporary composers will be featured. Daymé Arocena will perform nine of her songs, which span a fusion of jazz, Santería chants, and Afro-Cuban rhythms, and trumpeter and singer Bria Skonberg will perform jazz classics and her own compositions with her quintet.
What did we miss? What are you reading? Let us know at [email protected]!