Livingstone College Celebrates Black Composers with Symposium

The music department at Livingstone College hosted its second Black Classical Composers Festival and Symposium this weekend, drawing professors and academics from across the United States. Taking place from March 15-16, 2024, the event focused on celebrating the contributions of Black composers, including a notable tribute to Samuel Coleridge-Taylor as part of his 150th anniversary celebrations.

The festival commenced on Friday with a series of engaging lectures and performances. The first event featured two lecture recitals led by Dr. Douglas Jurs from Elon College and Dr. Huixian Wu from Talladega College. The day’s program included a performance by the Salisbury Trio alongside students from Livingstone College, culminating in a discussion led by Dr. Myron Brown from Winston-Salem State University.

An expanded lineup of guests and performances marked a significant enhancement compared to last year’s inaugural festival. Dr. Lawrence Quinnett, Chair of the Music Department, expressed optimism that the increased participation would attract a larger audience. He emphasized the importance of exposing students and the surrounding community to the rich heritage of Black composers often overlooked in classical music.

“I think it’s important that our student population knows the rich heritage that we have within the classical tradition,” said Quinnett. “Much of North Carolina doesn’t have that familiarity with them, so this is our little part in celebrating the heritage that the African diaspora has in the classical tradition.”

During his lecture, Jurs explored the pedagogical significance of Joseph Bologne, a prominent 18th-century French violinist and composer known as the Chevalier de Saint-George. Jurs highlighted Bologne’s contributions, particularly his piano compositions, which serve as valuable teaching material for intermediate to advanced students. He and fellow music educator Eden Esters Brown compiled Bologne’s works into a multi-volume workbook to facilitate lessons for music teachers.

“Our goal here is to really empower teachers to think about including this repertoire in their teaching,” Jurs stated. “This allows students to gain insights into this remarkable man and composer.”

Following Jurs, Wu focused on the transformation of traditional spirituals into piano solos, presenting works by Coleridge-Taylor and Florence Price. She demonstrated her methodology by first performing the spirituals and then showcasing the adapted pieces, breaking down their musical elements to illustrate their connection to the original melodies.

“We can see what these composers do for the melody, for the texture, for the harmony and what are the special aspects of them to compose their music,” Wu explained. “Maybe sometimes I can take use for myself and create some of my own music.”

The symposium attracted primarily students and faculty, including Jamaal Henderson, a sophomore music student at Livingstone. Henderson expressed his eagerness to deepen his understanding of the composers he has studied in class.

“I came to learn something new,” Henderson remarked. “I heard pieces that I’ve heard here and heard names that I’ve heard here, so it kind of gave a reinforcement to what I’ve learned.”

The festival continued on Saturday with additional lecture recitals featuring Dr. Joseph Spearman of Fayetteville State University and Dr. Robyn Quinnett of Smith College. This expanded focus on Black classical composers is an important step in recognizing their contributions and ensuring that future generations appreciate their work. As the festival draws to a close, Livingstone College reinforces its commitment to celebrating diversity within the classical music tradition.