PYP & ALL CLASSICAL PORTLAND PRESENT A LIVE STREAM DISCUSSION PANEL ON WILLIAM GRANT STILL
Posted on October 16, 2018
PORTLAND, OR – Portland Youth Philharmonic and All Classical Portland proudly present an important discussion panel about distinguished American composer William Grant Still’s legacy and his rarely-performed work The American Scene, on Tuesday, October 23, 2018, at 6:00 PM. All Classical Portland will live stream the discussion on their Facebook page.
Known as “the Dean of African-American composers,” Still was of Spanish, Native American, Irish, Scottish, and African-American ancestry. He envisioned a proudly multicultural America, as harmonious in race and ethnic relations as his music. The result was his American Scene: Five Suites for Young Americans (1957), beautifully illustrating his vision of a unified country for future generations of citizens. The Far West captures themes that depict the age-old cultures and natural beauty of America’s West Coast.
“Still was a pioneer,” says Darrell Grant, local Jazz Pianist, composer, and Associate Director/Professor of Music at Portland State University. “He was one of the first African-American composers to claim our own cultural heritage vernacular musical language as a source for classical music composition. I believe it is that authenticity and originality that still moves people today.”
All Classical Portland’s CEO Suzanne Nance will moderate the discussion. The panel will include Darrell Grant, Oregon Symphony violist Jennifer Arnold, and PYP Musical Director David Hattner.
Soon to be the first U.S. organization of young musicians to reach its 100th anniversary, PYP will kick off its 95th season with performances of Still’s The Far West on their tour to central Oregon on October 27th and 28th. The following week, the orchestra will perform a free concert on Monday, November 5th, in Pacific University’s Taylor-Meade Performing Arts Center. The Forest Grove concert will be live streamed on PYP’s popular YouTube channel.
PYP will return home to Portland on Saturday, November 10th to officially launch the season in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Tickets for the Schnitzer performance are available now.