Melanated Moments in Classical Music

Season Four culminates with violist, entrepreneur, and podcaster Drew Forde , known to over 100,000 Instagram followers as ThatViolaKid . Angela and Joshua spend time with Forde, who shares remarkable insights into the power of classical music. He explains how the viola serves as a window into his soul and shapes his trajectory within the classical genre and outside of it by collaborating with mai...

Joshua introduces us to pianist and composer Dr. Mikhail Johnson . Born and raised in Jamaica, Dr. Johnson traces his musical influences from the region's choral composers to his foray into instrumental and 21st-century composition. Angela and Joshua listen to three contrasting works as Dr. Johnson provides compelling insights into the origins of their inception. Relying heavily on the lineag...

Joshua familiarizes us with the short but exceptional life of composer Julia Perry. He and Angela explore the meaning of postmodernism in connection with Perry's compositional evolution from traditional to postmodern stylings. A two-time recipient of the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship, Perry studied with the renowned Madame Nadia Boulanger in France, composed despite multiple strokes and s...

In this episode, Angela and Joshua welcome scholar, author, and renowned vocalist Robert Sims to discuss the life and legacy of Roland Hayes. An in-depth discussion reveals Sims' great care in charting Hayes' pioneering career pathway for Black male vocalists at the turn of the 20th century. Sims' research also highlights Hayes' influence on subsequent generations of celebrated...

Joshua and Angela salute the illustrious career of opera soprano Leontyne Price. We hear three signature selections by Ms. Price and learn of her journey from Laurel, Mississippi, to capturing the attention and admiration of the world for her unparalleled vocal prowess and artistry. She remains a standard-bearer for opera singers globally. Featured Music: "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess...

Angela and Joshua introduce and interview composer James Lee III . Lee gives us a peek into his composing process, deeply rooted in his fascination with and inspiration from his cross-cultural and musical background. Listeners are treated to three exquisite compositions that indicate why Lee is prized and in constant demand for his musical imagination and socio-historical significance. Featured Mu...

In this episode, Angela introduces everyone to the life and legacy of trailblazer Shirley Verrett . Her remarkable voice and artistry allowed her to successfully span mezzo-soprano and soprano roles. Verrett ascended to the heights of operatic stardom during the Civil Rights era of the 1960s, defying the racist and exclusionary customs of the industry. Verrett is recognized as one of the most reve...

The first episode of Season 4 introduces audiences to the life, work, and continued impact of composer, bandleader, and culture creator Francis Johnson. Angela and Joshua listen to  Johnson's March and New Bird Waltz while providing commentary on Johnson's unmistakable role in defining the sound of patriotic music for a young America desperate to cultivate an identity of its own. Feature...

Angela and Joshua wrap up Season Three with a flourish by speaking with solo and collaborative violist Ashleigh Gordon. She is recognized internationally as an effective social change agent through education. Ashleigh reflects on her journey as a musician and how she endeavors to center and celebrate the works of Black artists and composers through her Boston-based organization, Castle of Our Skin...

Joshua and Angela welcome the distinguished ethnomusicologist Rev. Dr. Alisha Lola Jone s to discuss one of the most important women composers of all time, Florence Price. An authority on Price, Dr. Jones tells of Price's groundbreaking career path that dispelled the overwhelming barriers to a Black female composing music. Featured Music: "Fantasie Negre" performed by Samantha Ege &...

Angela and Joshua reflect on the inspiring life and work of the brilliant composer Undine Smith Moore.  As a woman living through the time of the Jim Crow South, Moore's body of work mirrors the deliberate and intentional evolution of her personal worldview. Featured Music: " Love, Let the Wind Cry " by Undine Smith Moore, performed by Aundi Marie Moore " Allegro " from th...

Joshua and Angela expound on the life and work of the iconic British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor , focusing on one of his most famous works, the Song of Hiawatha . Excerpts from the Hiawatha Overture punctuate the discussion of Coleridge Taylor’s international career, prolific body of work, and how composers of that era often did not receive fair financial compensation for their work. Feature...

Angela and Joshua survey the multifaceted life of legendary David Baker. An iconic composer, educator, performer, and native of Indianapolis, Baker is revered globally for his unique ability to traverse the worlds of jazz and classical music deftly and equally. His works Calypso , A Good Assassination Should be Quiet , and Bolling Suite for cello and jazz piano are featured to demonstrate his sign...

Joshua and Angela acquaint us with a groundbreaking composer and pianist, Margaret Bonds. Joshua takes us through the life of Margaret Bonds, who was at the epicenter of cultural and artistic expression during the turn of the 20th century, collaborating with luminaries Florence Price and Langston Hughes, among others. We hear a performance of Bonds' Montgomery Variations , performed by the Un...

Joshua and Angela discuss the pioneering work of Harry Burleigh and how he directly influenced the sound of American music and paved the way into the traditional classical music space for the Black artists and composers who followed him. We are introduced to one of Burleigh's non-choral works , Southland Sketches for violin and piano, and a rare recording of Burleigh singing Go Down, Moses ....

Angela and Joshua explore the global and diasporic works of Rosephanye Powell and speak with the artist herself. Our co-hosts discuss Rosephanye's approach to arranging, how to avoid cultural appropriation while honoring the roots of cultural inspiration, and why presenting a story can help diverse audiences understand music derived from the Negro spiritual. We'll hear works performed by...

Angela and Joshua explore the depths of the American Negro Spiritual with Dr. Everett McCorvey, noted tenor, conductor, and founder of the American Spiritual Ensemble. They explain how the American Negro Spiritual differs from gospel, its foundational relationship to American music, and how the art form transcended from the cotton fields to concert halls worldwide. Featured Music: "You Must H...

Joshua introduces Robert Nathaniel Dett, a quintessential Diasporic composer who blended African-American folk music traditions with classic European musical styles to create masterful and unique compositions. A performance by William Chapman Nyaho of Robert Nathaniel Dett's piano suite, In the Bottoms, is showcased to illustrate Robert Nathaniel Dett's prowess as a musical scenescape pa...

Joshua and Angela welcome acclaimed and multifaceted performer Ric’key Pageot to the show. He speaks about his recent journey to explore his Haitian heritage and discover an impressive trove of classical music inspired by a legacy of Vodou and revolution. They discuss an amazing piece by Haitian-born composer Carmen Brouard entitled Baron la Croix . Featured Music: "Baron la Croix" by Ca...

In this episode, Angela enlightens us about a performer she refers to as an “accidental activist.” Marian Anderson was an amazing and groundbreaking performer who used her talents to blaze a trail and help move our country and world toward a more equitable future. Featured Music: "My Country 'Tis of Thee (hymn)" performed by Marian Anderson "Deep River" by Harry Burleigh ,...

Angela and Joshua discuss the short but immensely impactful life of Moses Hogan and his contributions to music through making spirituals a standard part of choral repertoires. Featured Music: "Elijah Rock" arranged by Moses Hogan "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho" arranged by Moses Hogan "I'm Gonna Sing 'Til the Spirit Moves in My Heart" arranged by Moses Ho...

Joshua and Angela reflect on the amazing life and music of Ignatius Sancho, who was born on a slave ship and orphaned shortly thereafter. Through dedication and application, he escaped the institution of slavery and made a huge contribution to the arts, including many great classical compositions. Featured Music: "Minuetto 2" from Minuets, Cotillons and Country Dances by Ignatius Sancho...

Angela and Joshua talk about an imaginative and powerful storyteller, Laura Karpman, who has been an advocate and ally for inclusion and equality her entire career. Her Grammy- and Emmy-winning music scores span film, television, theater, interactive media, and live performance. Featured Music: "Blues in Stereo" from Ask Your Mama by Laura Karpman , featuring Angela Brown and Nnena Feelo...

Angela and Joshua speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Anthony Davis and groundbreaking clarinetist Anthony McGill about the recent performance of “You Have the Right to Remain Silent” and the catharsis of sharing painful yet powerful experiences through music. Featured Music: "You Have the Right to Remain Silent" by Anthony Davis , performed by clarinetist Anthony McGill , and the...

In this third and final bonus episode, Joshua and Angela are joined again by the prolific and talented Dr. Bill Banfield. He shares insights from his time serving on the Pulitzer committee for music, and we listen to his arrangement titled The Cape Is Charming, whose lyrics were taken from a letter written by Langston Hughes . Featured Music: "The Cape is Charming" by William Banfield Su...