Mindful Music Celebrates Black History Month

Mindful Music Moments is excited to celebrate Black History Month with a month of music by black composers and performers. For the week of February 7, students across the country have been listening to Make Them Hear You from the musical Ragtime by Flaherty & Aherns, performed by acclaimed opera singer Rodrick Dixon–courtesy of our partner, the Cincinnati Opera. This week’s Mindful Music is narrated by our founding Wellspring Fellow, Kara Michelle Pierson who you may have heard earlier this year! And in Cleveland, students are taking 3 minutes to listen to Pulitzer Prize winner George Walker’s soothing Lyric for Strings. 

For the week of February 14, students in Ohio may remember Brian Raphael Nabors’ exciting 2021 composition Ohio Sketches: IV. All Ohio! from last year’s special Mindful Music commission, performed by string quartets from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Columbus Symphony, and The Cleveland Orchestra together. This year, we wanted to spread the joy from this collaboration and included All Ohio! on playlists across the country. 

For the week of February 21, depending on the city, students are listening to two different selections by the “Dean of African-American Composers” William Grant Still: Africa: II. Land of Romance and Symphony No. 1: I. Longing. For the last week of February, students will listen to the calming serenade of cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s Melody. And in Cleveland, a brand new recording from The Cleveland Orchestra of Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement from the 2021 Blossom Music Festival. 

Additionally, our new Columbus Symphony playlist for businesses is featuring both Still pieces mentioned above as well as Valerie Coleman’s 2007 composition Portraits of Langston Hughes: VI. Harlem's Summer Nights and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s stirring Deep River which were both featured in schools last semester. 

We hope that you enjoy these selections and can use them to find calm and focus this month at school, work, and home. 

While The Well is excited to spread music and mindfulness from black composers and performers this month, we have an ongoing commitment to spotlight underrepresented voices in classical music every month of the year. You can view your area’s full Mindful Music playlist for the year through your school or employer’s Mindful Music portal accessible HERE.