Like many professions, orchestral conducting was once exclusively the domain of white men. But that trend has changed, as the live and recorded performances of a growing number of conductors of color continue to enrich the classical music world. Each week during February, The American Sound will celebrate Black History Month by showcasing dazzling performances by noted African American conductors. Listen to hear the enterprising Paul Freeman and the orchestra he founded and led for nearly 25 years perform music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. The dynamic conductor William Eddins leads an international orchestra in a classic score by Virgil Thomson. We'll enjoy the late James DePreist's interpretation of The Masks by Ronald Lo Presti. And we'll experience the work of a legend in the making when Thomas Wilkins conducts a powerful work for chorus and orchestra by Hannibal Lokumbe. Join me this month for a celebration of African American conductors on The American Sound, 6 p.m. Saturdays and 7 p.m. Tuesdays on Classical 101.
Jennifer Hambrick unites her extensive backgrounds in the arts and media and her deep roots in Columbus to bring inspiring music to central Ohio as Classical 101’s midday host. Jennifer performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago before earning a Ph.D. in musicology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.