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Black Renaissance: Music, Lives and Legacy

Samantha Ege

Composite image of Artina McCain, Samantha Ege and Adjoa Andoh

Pianist Samantha Ege brings her technical mastery and determination to give marginalised composers their rightful voice to a recital on the 20th-century Black Renaissance, narrated by Adjoa Andoh.

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.

This performance will end at approximately 9.15pm, including a 20-minute interval.

Produced by the Barbican

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Milton Court Concert Hall