Wednesday, July 5, 2017

John Malveaux: July 4, 2017 KUSC played Adolphus Hailstork's "Fanfare on Amazing Grace" and Lara Downes' "Deep River" by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Adolphus C. Hailstork
 
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

 
John Malveaux of 
writes:


July 4, 2017 KUSC Radio host Brian Lauritzen, 3pm-7pm, unknowingly stimulated a personal musical journey for me when he programmed Adolphus Hailstork's FANFARE ON AMAZING GRACE and Lara Downes' DEEP RIVER by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.

MusicUNTOLD first concert outside of Los Angeles County was the 150th anniversary of 13th Amendment Concert, DAR Constitution Hall, Washington DC, November 21, 2015. Composer Adolphus Hailstork and his wife attended the concert and we stayed in the same hotel. Bass-Baritone Kevin Deas sang I Made Me A Man from Adolphus Hailstork opera Rise for Freedom: The John P Parker Story.

MusicUNTOLD presented Lara Downes in 2015 Long Beach recital to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Billie Holiday. 

During 2003 Black History Month, I co-produced “An Evening of Grace & Style” at the Skirball Cultural Center featuring music of composes William Grant Still, Ed Bland, Barbara Sherrill, Margaret Bonds, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and arias from William Grant Still’s Costaso and A Bayou Legend operas. A visual art exhibit, Operatic Mask series, by Evangeline Seward complemented the arias. Performers included Ron Clark (violin), Yolanda West (Soprano), Barbara Sherrill (Piano), James Sterrett-Bryant  (Baritone), Robert Ball (Marimba), Gwendolyn Lytle (Soprano), Charles Dickerson (Tenor), Althea Waites (Piano), Barbara Sherrill Chorale, Hansonia Caldwell (Piano), and Marcus Eley (Clarinet).

In my opinion the highlight of the evening was Barbara Sherrill conducting her chorale in several sections from Samuel Coleridge-Taylor HIAWATHA WEDDING FEAST. Hansonia Caldwell was magnificent on piano and I learned Charles Dickerson was a first class tenor. Charles Dickerson subsequently conducted the Southeast Symphony and later founded the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles.

 

No comments: