From the story of enslaved prodigy Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins to new music and hopeful visions of tomorrow, this unique program weaves together stories and music through epochs, artistic triumphs, and journeys towards justice.
Hear Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins’s virtuosic March Timpani in a new, CBM string quartet arrangement recently commissioned of AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa, and learn about Blind Tom’s remarkable life story. Celebrate the legacy of the Chicago Black Renaissance with Florence Price’s beloved “Five Folksongs in Counterpoint,” and learn about her challenges and successes as a Black trailblazer in Western classical music. Be uplifted by Shelley Washington’s “Middleground,” which translates experiences of African Americans in the Midwest US into the melodious sounds and propulsive rhythms of a string quartet. Feel the power of steadfast determination of Daniel Bernard Roumain’s String Quartet #5, a powerful tribute to Rosa Parks, the Civil Rights Movement, and courageous women everywhere. Ending the program is the Rosa Parks quartet’s “Klap Ur Handz,” inviting the audience to join in and remember the power of collective action.
Notes of Legacy was created in part through the leadership and advocacy of CBM board members Marjorie Adam Clark and Michael King, as well as Black musicians in the CBM community, who wanted to see more programming that reflected African-American history and artistry both in celebration of Juneteenth and year-round.