Black lives are vital and integral to our society.вЂќ Blacks have impacted the world music scene tremendously.

вЂњAmerican music has been tremendously influenced by blacks, from spirituals, to jazz, R&B to hip-hop. In this concert we are exploring historical scenarios where black lives made a difference in history, even if they were excluded from the narrative,вЂќ he said. вЂњThe phrase вЂBlack Lives MatterвЂ™ seems to be revolutionary to some-controversial, somehow-but it is obvious. The performers for вЂњBlack LivesвЂќ included artist-in-residence and former Frost faculty member Kevin Short recent Frost School grad AndrГ©s Lasaga, a tenor who earned a masterвЂ™s degree in vocal performance doctoral candidate Christine Jobson, a soprano who will join the New York MET production of Porgy and Bess after graduation and alumnus Carl DuPont, a bass-baritone who earned a doctor of musical arts from the Frost School and will join the full-time faculty of Peabody Conservatory this fall.ДuPont, whose scholarly interest focuses on the contributions of black musicians, composers, and educators in higher music education, was filled with gratitude for the chance to perform in this production. вЂњIвЂ™m very excited that вЂBlack LivesвЂ™ will be programmed at several other universities this year and beyond.вЂќ вЂњI was compelled by the Black Lives Matter movement, and wanted to present AnthonyвЂ™s operatic work in a provocative new way to build new audiences, and introduce his new works to my students,вЂќ said Johnson, a professor of vocal performance and music director of the Frost Opera Theater. It was JohnsonвЂ™s desire to speak out strongly for equality that inspired him to curate this unique concert with the composer present. His music today is delightfully eclectic, fusing melodic, harmonic and rhythmic elements from classical, jazz, and hip-hop genres. вЂњGrowing up in the вЂ™60s, I was very inspired by the passion of jazz bassist Charles Mingus, whose outspoken songs about civil-rights issues made a deep impression.вЂќ Duke EllingtonвЂ™s major works вЂњHarlem SuiteвЂќ and вЂњBlack and Tan FantasyвЂќ also impacted him, as did compositions by Billy Strayhorn. вЂњWhen writing operas, my goal is to make it truly American, to have it rooted in American music, particularly jazz,вЂќ he shared. вЂњThe stories in my operas are drawn from the tragic consequences of the slave trade to the emergence of Black Nationalism, and wrongly accused victims of the American justice system,вЂќ Davis said. They were accompanied on piano by professor Alan Johnson, who received a 2018 Provost Research Award to curate вЂњBlack LivesвЂќ for new audiences. вЂњThe collision of race and culture is endemic in my music,вЂќ Davis, a film, opera, orchestra, and chamber music composer said before the concert featuring four opera singers in recital format. Drawn from African-American history, music from four of Oscar-winning composer Anthony DavisвЂ™s operas- Amistad, The Central Park Five, Tania, and X-The Life and Times of Malcolm X-addressed issues of race and social significance last week in a stirring вЂњBlack LivesвЂќ concert at the Frost School.

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