The Music Settlement’s Signature Series event Linking Legacies, curated and performed by Cleveland artists tenor Cornelius Johnson, cellist Khari Joyner, violist Chris Jenkins, and pianist Dianna White-Gould, will honor several classical compositions by African American composers with deep ties to Northeast Ohio.
While Northeast Ohio’s rich legacy of African American classical music performance and composition is not nationally well-known, during the late 19th and 20th century it was a hub of activity and training for young Black musicians. During this period, musical training was available to them at only a select number of schools, such as Oberlin Conservatory, the Cleveland Institute of Music, New England Conservatory, and Howard University. Composers such as Nathaniel Dett, Hale Smith, Dolores White, H. Leslie Adams, George Walker, and many others were able to pursue musical training at the secondary and conservatory level in Cleveland and the areas surrounding Oberlin Conservatory. An emphasis on racial inclusion was supported in part by the prominent role played by certain parts of Northeast Ohio in the Underground Railroad, including the towns of Oberlin and Yellow Springs.
Linking Legacies celebrates the legacy of these composers by featuring performers with personal connections to the institutions where they trained, and to the composers themselves. This program will highlight works for voice, piano, cello, and viola.
We hope you join us to experience this incredible event.
Seating is limited; secure your ticket for a remarkable evening
in celebration of Black history.