Harmonizing History: Celebrating the Legacy of Three Black Composers

Every composer brings their own unique voice to their orchestral compositions. 

The music of some brilliant composers of African descent has too long been neglected in Western classical music tradition.

Three Black composers who have created memorable orchestral music are Joseph Bologne (The Chevalier de Saint-Georges), Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, and Florence Price.  Dr Robert Butts, musical composer, conductor and lecturer will delve into the lives and musical legacy of these influential composers.

Bologne was French  and  a prolific composer who wrote string quartets, symphonies and concertos and made his mark in Paris in the late 18th century. He is remembered as the first classical composer of African origins. 

Coleridge-Taylor who was English and active at the turn of the 20th century, skilfully married African-American folk music with concert music. 

Florence Price was an American and one of the first women to have her symphonic work performed by major symphony orchestras. 

Dr. Butts will give an overview of their lives and works, and show how they were part of the music world of their eras. Maestro Butts and the Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey have performed works by these three wonderful composers and in this talk he will focus on one work for each composer: Chevalier de Saint-Georges - Sinfonia Concertante ; Samuel Coleridge-Taylor - Noveletten ;  Florence Price - Concert Overture #2, and will  play video clips from performances of each work.

Dr. Robert W. Butts has lectured and taught at The Casperson School of Graduate Studies, Montclair  State University, and The College of Saint Elizabeth as well as for The New Jersey Council for the Humanities. He has presented talks and courses for community programs throughout New Jersey. As a  conductor, he has led the award-winning Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey for over 25 years and has  conducted The New Jersey Symphony, The Plainfield Symphony, Opera at Florham, New Jersey Concert Opera, Eastern Opera, and Opera Theater of Montclair. In addition, he has conducted orchestra  and opera performances in Russia, Romania, Germany, and Italy. His compositions have been performed in The United States, Europe, and Asia.  

This program is open to all and no registration is required.

It is made possible with the support of The Friends of the Livingston Public Library.