Black Renaissance: Music, Lives and Legacy

The impact of the Black Renaissance, which unfolded in the United States in the first half of the 20th century, is just as significant as other classical music periods, but has been considerably less represented on stage. Tonight 'rare phenomenon' Ege (Seen and Heard International) fills our ears with the glorious sounds of this movement that merged late nineteenth-century romanticism, and African and African American folk melodies.

Pianist Artina McCain joins for a powerful second half of virtuosic two-piano orchestral arrangements, which gave Black communities excluded from the mainstream 20th-century classical scene the opportunity to showcase their outstanding musicianship. Interwoven with the music, actor Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton) reads from the letters and journals of the composers as the impact of their movement is fully realised.