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 Music: "Sonata for Violin and Piano" "Niiji Memories," performed by the Columbia Orchestra , featuring...
Mar 16, 2022•38 min•Season 4Ep. 3
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 revered Black operatic figures and continues to be a role model to generations of aspiring vocalists. Fe...
Mar 09, 2022•28 min•Season 4Ep. 2
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. Featured Music: "Johnson's March" by Francis Johnson "New Bird Waltz" by Francis Johnson Support the show...
Mar 01, 2022•20 min•Season 4Ep. 1
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 Skins . Featured Music: "The Negro Speaks of River" by Margaret Bonds, arranged by Ashleigh Gordon "Viva...
Oct 06, 2021•31 min•Season 3Ep. 8
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 "Feet o' Jesus" performed by Dr. Ollie Watts Davis "My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord" performed by Leontyne Price...
Sep 29, 2021•44 min•Season 3Ep. 7
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 the Afro-American Suite by Undine Smith Moore, performed by Kate Steinbeck , Tim Holley , and Dewitt Tipton "Watch and Pray" by ...
Sep 23, 2021•27 min•Season 3Ep. 6
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. Featured Music: " Hiawatha Overture " by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, performed by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra an...
Sep 15, 2021•21 min•Season 3Ep. 5
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 signature style that continues to be a model for classical and jazz composers. Featured Music: "A Good A...
Sep 08, 2021•24 min•Season 3Ep. 4
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 University of Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, a stunning example of the composer's ability to "score" the c...
Sep 01, 2021•25 min•Season 3Ep. 3
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 . Featured Music: "Southland Sketches" performed by Harry T. Burleigh "Go Down, Moses" performed by Harry T...
Aug 25, 2021•20 min•Season 3Ep. 2
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 the Eastman Chorale, Vocal Essence, and the Philander Smith Collegiate Choir. Featured Music: "Sorida" perfor...
Aug 18, 2021•45 min•Season 3Ep. 1
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 Have That True Religion" by Roland Carter , performed by American Spiritual Ensemble "Soon I Will Be Done"...
Apr 28, 2021•44 min•Season 2Ep. 8
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 painter. Featured Music: "In the Bottoms" by Robert Nathaniel Dett, performed by William Chapman Nyaho Support t...
Apr 21, 2021•26 min•Season 2Ep. 7
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 Carmen Brouard, performed by Orchestre symphonique de Montréal Support the show...
Apr 14, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 6
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 , performed by Marian Anderson "Ave Maria" by Charles Gounod, performed by Marian Anderson Support the show...
Apr 07, 2021•31 min•Season 2Ep. 5
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 Hogan Support the show...
Mar 31, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 4
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 "Minuet No. 10" by Ignatius Sancho Support the show...
Mar 24, 2021•18 min•Season 2Ep. 3
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 Feelon "Tulsa, 1921: Catch The Fire" by Laura Karman featuring Janai Brugger Support the show...
Mar 17, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 2
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 Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Support the show...
Mar 10, 2021•26 min•Season 2Ep. 1
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 Support the show...
Dec 02, 2020•18 min
In this episode, Joshua and Angela speak with Dr. Bill Banfield about his personal experience with the COVID-19 virus and how it caused him to think deeply about the deep issues of our lives and the lives of those around us. They use Dr. Banfield's 6th Symphony as a catalyst to explore how hard times like those we are experiencing often precede moments of hope and joy. Featured Music: "Symphony No. 6" by William Banfield Support the show...
Nov 25, 2020•18 min
In this bonus episode of the show, Angela and Joshua invite a special and renowned guest, Dr. Bill Banfield, to share insight into his amazing body of work. This episode focuses on how art can help us process tragedies and draw through lines between the past's struggles and the present's hardships. Through this process, we learn how artists can help foster peace and hope on an individual and social level. Featured Music: "Peace Symphony" by William Banfield Support the show...
Nov 18, 2020•25 min
In this episode, Angela walks us through her storied career and shares some of her favorite performances with the help of her long-time friend, Janet Jarriel . Featured Music: "Ciel mio padre" from Aida (Act III) by Giuseppe Verdi, performed by soprano Angela Brown , baritone Gregg Baker , and Opera Philadelphia The theme song from UCNF, performed live by Angela Brown in "Opera...from a Sistah's Point of View" Support the show...
Apr 15, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Our featured composer in this episode, Thomas Wiggins, is one of the most talented musicians of all time…who also happened to be non-verbal, blind, and born into slavery. Joshua tells us how in his own time, Wiggins was portrayed as a circus act rather than a musical genius but is now starting to get the recognition he has long deserved. Featured Music: "Battle of Manassas" by Thomas Wiggins Support the show...
Apr 08, 2020•13 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In this episode of Melanated Moments, Angela gives us an inside look at the making of a masterpiece. She tells us how composer Richard Danielpour worked with literary legend Maya Angelou to set a number of poems for the iconic song cycle, A Woman’s Life . Angela tells us of her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform in Miss Angelou’s own home, a performance that moved her to tears. Featured Music: "Life Doesn't Frighten Me At All," "They Went Home," and "Many and More" from "A Woman's Life" b...
Apr 01, 2020•19 min•Season 1Ep. 4
The libretto for this week’s piece was written by poet laureate and iconic literary figure Toni Morrison. Margaret Garner is an opera that tells the story of an escaped slave who is captured but decides to kill her own children rather than see them forced back into slavery. Our own Angela Brown voiced one of the principal characters during the world premiere in Detroit, and she walks us through this powerful and thought-provoking opera. Featured Music: "Ease Yourselves," "He Is By," and "Epilogu...
Mar 25, 2020•15 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Evelyn Simpson Curenton was born into one of the most musically gifted families of all time, and her talent still shined through. She is one of the most sought-after composers and musicians of her time. In this episode, Angela walks us through two of Curenton’s personal favorite spiritual pieces: Sinner Please Don't Let This Harvest Pass and Oh, Glory . Featured Music: "Sinner Please Don't Let This Harvest Pass," arranged by Evelyn Simpson Curenton, performed by soprano Jessye Norman "Oh, Glory,...
Mar 18, 2020•16 min•Season 1Ep. 2
On our debut episode of Melanated Moments in Classical Music, Joshua introduces us to one of his favorite composers, William Grant Still. Known as the Dean of African American Composers, his Africa Suite transports the listener to the dawn of time and the cradle of civilization. Joshua and Angela discuss the piece’s second movement, Land of Romance as well as cartoons, relationships, and defying stereotypes. Featured Music: "Africa II: Land of Romance" by William Grant Still Support the show...
Mar 18, 2020•15 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Classical Music Indy invites you to subscribe to a show that takes a fresh look at classical music. Join us as we shine a spotlight on musical works composed by, for, and about people of color. Hosts Angela Brown and Joshua Thompson take you inside the music and tell the stories behind the pieces with a perfect blend of lively conversation and no-nonsense straight talk. Full episodes coming March 18, 2020. Support the show...
Mar 11, 2020•2 min
