Celebrate Juneteenth with classical music on WHRO-FM

In honor of Juneteenth, WHRO-FM will highlight the work of classical composers and performers of African descent, both past and present, on Friday, June 19. The Juneteenth holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and celebrates African American freedom, education, and achievement. Join us throughout the day to hear recordings from composers such as William Grant Still, Florence Price, George Walker, Nathaniel Dett, and Valerie Coleman; conductors James DePreist and Damon Gupton; and performers including Leon Bates, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Demarre and Anthony McGill, Lara Downes, the Sphinx Virtuosi, the Imani Winds, and more.
At 6:00 PM, it’s Let Freedom Ring:A Musical Celebration of Juneteenth with Lara Downes. In this one-hour special, Lara takes listeners on a unique journey with the music of Black composers from Florence Price to Bob Marley, and performers like Jessye Norman and the Kanneh-Mason family, in an exploration of musical heritage and a celebration of freedom.
At 7:00 PM, Performance Today has more music for Juneteenth, including works by Margaret Bonds, Carlos Simon, Duke Ellington, and more.
And at 9:00 PM we’ll close out the day with a special edition of Evening Classics with Raymond Jones, highlighting prominent African American composers, performers and conductors. We’ll start with a beautifully crafted evocation of the American Southwest, filled with lyrical and warm orchestral colors: William Grant Still’s “Pastorela.” Next, we’ll hear one of the most important American concertos of the late nineteenth century, Edward MacDowell’s Piano Concerto No. 2, performed by soloist Andre Watts with powerful technique and expressive artistry. From there, we'll experience the revolutionary energy of Stravinsky’s ballet “The Rite of Spring,” featuring the Oregon Symphony under the clear, expressive direction of James DePreist. Then we’ll discover an orchestration of Dohnanyi’s Piano Quintet in E-flat, a remarkable work written when the composer just seventeen years old, performed by soloist Earl Wild and conducted by the late Richmond-born African American maestro Isaiah Jackson.
We then celebrate the richness of traditional African American folk music with George Walker’s “Folksongs for Orchestra.” Next, a reflection on African American identity and resilience with the lyrical beauty of “Three Dream Portraits” by Margaret Bonds, sung by Norfolk's own Grammy Award-winning baritone, Will Liverman. The evening concludes with Ravel’s complete ballet masterpiece “Daphnis and Chloe” in a vivid and inspired performance from Germany’s Aachen Symphony, led by Kazem Abdullah.
Tune in, or stream online, this Friday to celebrate the enduring contributions of African American artists to the world of classical music.