4 YEAR MARK

LOOKING BACK ON OUR START

Some 4 years ago, a few of us started on a journey of celebrating, exploring and discovering the vast repertoire of classical music by composers of the African Diaspora. A year in, the trove of music by Florence Price came to the attention of a much broader audience, bringing to awareness her compositions and accomplishments. Shortly after that well publicized discovery of her music, found in boxes at a summer home, Musicologist Rae Linda Brown’s biography on composer Price hit the bookstores as Florence Price: The Heart of A Woman, chronicling the life and music of this heavyweight in the history of U.S. composers. Price’s orchestral works were performed by the prestigious Chicago Symphony Orchestra in the 1930s.

Did you know that our first application for fiscal sponsorship with LA-based Community Partners in October 2020 was declined? That rejection sent me back to the drawing board with a focused search for a strong match of sponsors and our mission. Fulcrum Arts, out of Pasadena, CA emerged as a match and we applied. In October 2021, Presenting was invited to join and we did.

IMPORTANT PROGRESS/DEVELOPMENTS

Meanwhile, in 2020 Cuban-born composer Tanya León won the Pulitzer in Music Composition, making her the first African American (in the broadest sense – Cuban) woman to win the coveted award. Her work, Stride, is described as a 15-minute piece; a "musical journey full of surprise, with powerful brass and rhythmic motifs that incorporate Black music traditions from the U.S. and the Caribbean into a Western orchestral fabric." The two other finalists were Place, by Ted Hearne and Data Lords by Maria Schneider. “Stride” was born out of Project 19, an ambitious commissioning program where 19 women composers were chosen to write music to mark the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. León's inspiration was Susan B. Anthony, the women's rights activist and a prominent leader in the suffrage movement.

EMILY: Early Money Is Like Yeast (this funding concept, acronym is associated with political donations)

Similar to political campaigns, the early establishment of such an organization as Presenting…, takes grass roots contributions and donations from people like you to help set things sailing. Your contributions help us demonstrate to philanthropic institutional donors and foundations that we’ve establish a record of offering valued presentations that are worthy of long-term, substantial funding. If you don’t have a large chunk to contribute, please consider making smaller monthly or quarterly donations to support this important mission.

There are youngsters whose lives can be changed by learning of and hearing this music. There is still time! A donation of $1K or more will quality you to have your name listed on our site as a Founding Sponsor. With fiscal sponsorship (giving 5013c status), donations are tax deductible.

IMPACT OF THIS MOMENT IN HISTORY

MacArthur Genius Grant Awardee and conductor Marin Alsop is the daughter of professional musicians, but she attributes her conducting inspiration to watching Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Guide to the Orchestra in the 60s. She helped pave a path for female conductors and is music director laureate of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, as well as chief conductor of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Ravinia Festival. Imagine what/who Presenting AfroClassical Composers can and will inspire! 

Finally, please know that our target audience goes far beyond the usual classical music enthusiast. Foster families; Veterans; LGBTQI+ youth, adults and seniors; un-housed neighbors; neurodiverse neighbors (including those on the Autism Spectrum); Community Arts Center participants and college students/professors – in all fields – are welcome and targeted to attend and enjoy our events. Your donations will help others experience this brilliant music by AfroClassical composers, opening a gateway to cultural connections.

For your listening enjoyment:

Cancion de la Havana
Composer: Valerie Capers
Artist: Maria Corley, Piano