This program explores the African-American experience in classical music, through the eyes of Black composers. It begins with the “blues” movement of Ravel’s Violin Sonata No. 2, arranged for string orchestra and solo violin, and continues with Julia Perry’s Prelude for Piano, a nuanced, neoclassic gem full of anticipation and reflection. At the heart of the program is Edmund Thornton Jenkins Romance and Reverie Phantasy for Violin and String Orchestra, restored, edited, and arranged by Tuffus Zimbabwe.

We conclude with the lush romantic string writing of Adolphus Hailstork and William Grant Still, linked by themes of spirituality, meditation, and familial bonds. The Apple of their Eyes encapsulates the African-American experience, and celebrates the richness and depth of Black classical music.