I was first introduced to the power of music as a 3-year old sitting in church with my parents. I remember keenly watching the pianist play the hymns each week before going home to try and figure out what I had just heard. Since then, I've never lost the urge to discover all that I can about music and how it works.
However, as I've grown older, I've also given more thought to the ways that music functions as part of our larger society. This stems in many ways from the time I spent in college studying broadcast journalism (my second major) and working as a field reporter for the local news station. Those experiences opened my eyes to the shocking lack of awareness that many people have surrounding not only world issues, but issues facing their local communities.
I attribute this mainly to a failure of all parties to clearly communicate with each other. Music can bridge these gaps and provide all of us with a digestible way to plug into the world outside of our doors. It is for this reason that I devote a significant portion of my programming to music that speaks towards current social issues, rather than limit myself solely to the wonderful, though sometimes overplayed traditional repertoire. It may be an unreachable aspiration, but I aim to be a conduit for positive social change with every program that I learn.
“Every Voice with Terrance McKnight”
a podcast spotlighting the vibrant stories and perspectives that reflect the whole of the American musical experience
Ach ich fühl es ist verschwunden from Die Zauberflöte Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden from Die Zauberflöte Heavenly Father from 3kings and a PRINCE (Sharon J. Willis) On the Wings of a Dove from The Herndon Opera (Sharon J. Willis)
“Every Voice with Terrance McKnight”
a podcast spotlighting the vibrant stories and perspectives that reflect the whole of the American musical experience
Ach ich fühl es ist verschwunden from Die Zauberflöte Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden from Die Zauberflöte Heavenly Father from 3kings and a PRINCE (Sharon J. Willis) On the Wings of a Dove from The Herndon Opera (Sharon J. Willis)
Christ Church Riverdale, 5040 Henry Hudson Parkway East, The Bronx, NY
Kyle P. Walker is joined by Lucia Bradford and Gary Mitchell in Songs of Love, Life, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Together, they will present a program comprised of songs by Brahms, Chausson, Bizet, Errollyn Wallen, Roy Jennings, Steve Wallace, and more.
Jean Phillipe Rameau: Gavotte et six Doubles Irene Britton Smith: Passacaglia in C# minor Ludwig Van Beethoven: God Save the King Variations Florence Price: Fantasie Negre No. 1 Samuel Coleridge Taylor: Three-Fours Op 73 (6 mvmts)
Born of a desire to foster cultural curiosity, Castle of our Skins is a concert and educational series dedicated to celebrating Black artistry through music. The Boston Musical Intelligencer praises the ensemble’s programmatic choices for complementing and reinforcing each other, and the “impressive performers” for communicating “directly and movingly with their audience.” Highlighting the ensemble’s PCMS debut program is the Philadelphia premiere of a new work (co-commissioned by PCMS) by flutist/ composer Allison Loggins-Hull.
Louise Toppin, coloratura soprano; Brian Dunbar, flute; Ashleigh Gordon, viola; Kyle P. Walker, piano
Time is an Impatient Thing Coleman: Fanmi Imen Perry: The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah Green: …all that is good… Hailstork: Sanctum Rhapsody Loggins-Hull: Shine World Premiere/PCMS Co-Commission
$30 per ticket