Afton Battle: A Change Agent Without Compromise
Angela and Joshua welcome dramatic soprano and Artistic Director of the Fort Worth Opera Co, Afton Battle. Known for her tenacity, vision, and unapologetic commitment to programming operatic works that are a true reflection of the communities they serve, Ms. Battle outlines the importance of intentionality in a field that continues to push Black and brown artists to the margins.
Featured Music:
“Fruhling,” by Richard Strauss, feat. Jessye Norman
“Agnus Dei,” from An African-American Requiem by Damien Geter
“Triumphal March,” from Aida by Verdi
Statement from Ms. Battle:
“The most disrespected person in America, is the Black woman. The most un-protected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.” – Malcolm X
On July 5, 2022, I made the difficult decision to resign from Fort Worth Opera. I did not step into this lightly. However, when respect is no longer being served, I must protect myself, and leave the table.”
LOCAL CLASSICAL – BLACK MUSIC MONTH
In this week’s playlist, we celebrate Black Music Month which takes place in June. It was created by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 to honor and celebrate Black artists’ contributions to music. We’ll be honoring the late Herman Whitfield III, an Indianapolis native who was a gifted pianist and composer. We’ll also hear performances of artists who have been featured in season four of Classical Music Indy’s podcast, Melanated Moments in Classical Music.
LOCAL CLASSICAL – MELANATED MOMENTS
In this week’s Black History Month playlist, we bring you recordings by composers, performers, and artists who have been highlighted in our podcast, Melanated Moments in Classical Music. Melanated Moments is the ward-winning podcast from Classical Music Indy that shines a spotlight on musical works composed by, for, and about Black people.
Ric’key Pageot: Inspiring a Moment to Learn, Acknowledge, and Respect
Ric’key Pageot: Inspiring a Mo …
NEW CLASSICAL – OLYMPIC PLAYLIST
In honor of the 2021 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, we are bringing you a playlist filled with music that embodies the spirit of the Olympics. The Olympics are a great way to show the great achievements of athletes from all over the world.
Ignatius Sancho: Composing the Hypocrisy of Colonialism & Convention
Ignatius Sancho: Composing the …
NEW CLASSICAL – DR. BILL BANFIELD
This week we bring you the music of Dr. Bill Banfield. Dr. Banfield is an award-winning composer whose symphonies, operas, chamber works have been performed and recorded by major symphonies across the country. Few have a wider, performed professional composing output, that has had public concert performances, reviews, radio, recordings of some 12 symphonies, 7 opera, 9 concerti, chamber, jazz, and popular forms. This alone making Dr. Banfield one of the most performed, recorded composers of his generation. In 2010 and 2016, Dr. Banfield served as a Pulitzer Prize judge in American music.
#AmplifyMelanatedVoices
Classical Music Indy stands with our Black community. We are here to listen, learn, and lend our support. We believe that classical music is powerful; that it evokes a range of human emotions and creative expression.
Angela Brown Brings her Unbridled Zeal to a New Podcast.
Angela Brown brings her unbrid …
Local Classical – Angela Brown
We continue our Black History Month programming this week with our featured artist, soprano Angela Brown. Born in Indianapolis, Brown has led a world-renowned career as a vocal soloist. Her highly successful Metropolitan Opera debut in the title role of Aida captured instant attention from international print and broadcast media and catapulted Angela onto the world’s prestigious opera and symphonic stages.
Strauss Writes Striptease into Opera, Does Not Go Well
It’s not fake news, it’s very real. This Month in Classical Music History is a series dedicated to finding stories of the good, the bad, and the downright weird. In this article, read about a Beethoven historian who blatantly made things up, the NY Phil’s Young People’s Concerts under Leonard Bernstein, and a scandalous dance scene from an opera that was so seductive, all subsequent performances were cancelled.
November: This Month in Classical Music History
Classical music is rich with history of magnificent music, compelling divas, and innovative composers. Not every world premiere was grand, however. This Month in Classical Music History is a series dedicated to finding stories of the good, the bad, and the downright weird. For November read about Bach serving time in jail, an invention that helped develop the standard tuning pitch of A440 Hz, and an outburst from the New York City Opera stage.
Veteran’s Day Playlist
To pay our respects to our veterans we created a special Veteran’s Day playlist made up of pieces performed by the United States Armed Forces musicians. Enjoy lively marches and solemn remembrances with performances by our Marine Band, Army Band, Air Force Band, and Navy Band.
Halloween Playlist
We’re excited for Stranger Things 2, and to get you in the mood we’ve made a playlist inspired by Stranger Things! From creepy crawlies to the Upside Down, enjoy this playlist for the spookiest holiday, Halloween!
August: This Month in Classical Music History
Classical music is rich with history of magnificent music, compelling divas, and innovative composers. Not every world premiere was grand, however. This Month in Classical Music History is a series dedicated to finding stories of the good, the bad, and the downright weird. This month, we’ve dug up moments from history that are often overlooked. Read about a composer’s poisonous encounter with mushrooms, a prominent opera house, and the first stereo!
Highlighting our Female Performers
Classical Music Indy employs a diverse range of musicians for our events around Indianapolis. In 2016 we hired 95 musicians. Classical Music Indy has dedicated our blog articles to outstanding women musicians this month. We’ve shared about great women music educators in America and about under-recognized women musicians throughout history. This week, we take a look at a few of Classical Music Indy’s top performers – women who are doing great work here and now in the city of Indianapolis. Read below about these incredibly talented musicians, and hopefully you’ll hear them at one of our events in the near future!
