Bent Not Broken Choral Conference Showcases Black Composers

The four day “Bent Not Broken” choral conference highlighting the works of Black choral composers will take place April 27 to 30 at Grace United Methodist Church in Wilmington, DE.

Organized by The Choir School of Delaware, the event will feature the American Spiritual Ensemble, led by conductor Everett McCorvey; EXIGENCE, led by conductor Eugene Rogers; Westminster Choir College Jubilee Singers, led by conductor Vinroy J. Brown, Jr.; the St. Thomas Gospel Choir; and the Choir School of Delaware, with conductor Jason Max Ferdinand.

The event will include a variety of workshops and seminars led by distinguished guest lecturers, and an Honor Choir of choristers age 12+ from youth community choirs, conducted by Alysia Lee and Maria Ellis.

The Dessoff Choirs to Perform NY Premiere of Margaret Bonds Cantatas

The Dessoff Choirs celebrates the late African American composer Margaret Bonds, at the Church of the Heavenly Rest, in New York City, on April 28 at 7:30 p.m., a pre-concert talk begins at 6:45 p.m.

Born in Chicago, Margaret Bonds (1913-1972) was a pianist, a composer, an arranger, and a music teacher. She was one of the first Black composers and performers to gain popular recognition in the U.S., being the first Black soloist to perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She was also a strong fighter for civil rights, and is remembered for her arrangements of African American spirituals.

The Dessoff Choirs concert features the New York premieres of the orchestral versions of two neglected Bonds cantatas: Credo inspired by a W.E.B. Du Bois essay, and Simon Bore the Cross (edition by Malcolm J. Merriweather), a collaboration with Langston Hughes.

composers, conservatories, forums, funding, music, music education, music history, music schools, musicology, opera, opportunities, orchestras, social justice, strings, support for BBIPOC music, video, internationalDalanie HarrisJune 1, 2021Black musicians, Black classical music, Black jazz musicians, Black pop musicians, Black folk musicians, Black composers, Black music history, Black opera, diversity, equity, inclusion, UK, United Kingdom, Black Lives in Music, Charisse Beaumont, Orphy Robinson, Shabaka Hutchings, Paulette Long, Spotify, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Help Musicians UK, Arts Council England, Trinity Laban, Leeds Conservatoire, PRS Foundation, The Ivors Academy, Musicians’ Union, Featured Artists’ Coalition, Manchester Jazz Festival, Jazz North, Marsden Jazz Festival, Lichfield Jazz Festival, The Black Music Coalition, London Mozart Players, National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, Black choral music, Zeze Millz