Melanated Moments In Classical Music Podcast To Continue To Elevate Black Contributions In Classical Music

On September 20, Classical Music Indy begins airing nine new episodes of Melanated Moments in Classical Music, the award-winning podcast that highlights works by, for and about Black people. With over fifty episodes, the series is an unparalleled, audio guide to melanated music, composers, and artists spanning nearly 300 years. The podcast has become a valued resource used in high school classrooms, included in university-level music curriculum, and listened to in 124 countries and over 2300 cities.

Listen to past episodes below!

Season Seven finds co-hosts Angela Brown and Joshua Thompson back in the WFYI Indianapolis studios where it all began in January 2020. After five seasons of remote recording due to the pandemic, the witty banter and antics are at an all-time high with the two personalities in one room - though the podcast's message remains front and center. Stepping into a full producer role this season is Daniel Porter who said, "Joshua and Angela have been supportive, welcoming, and collaborative. Working with them in person for the first time at the WFYI studios was fantastic."

Broadway World readers can access the first episode on the First Lady of Jazz, pianist and musicologist, Mary Lou Williams directly:

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Three episodes of Season Seven feature in depth interviews with noted soprano, tastemaker, and arts administrator Karen Slack, composer and Guggenheim Fellow Nkeiru Okoye, and pianist and creator of the podcast Joshua Thompson. All three contemporary artists figure prominently in the movement to bring recognition to remarkable works, old and new, from the African diaspora. Moreover, all three have nudged classical music aficionados and administrators past lip service for inclusion toward necessary conversations and action. Angela reflected, "I was most inspired by the interview with Karen Slack having watched her bloom and grow from a star student at Curtis Institute in Philadelphia to singing on the stages of the world. Adding arts administrator and podcast host to her resume, Karen is truly a change agent. I'm very proud to spotlight her and her forward-thinking career path."

Four episodes delve into the lives of artists and scholars whose life and works forged a path of musical excellence: composer William Dawson, pianist and composer Oswald Russell, composer Nathaniel Dett, and musicologist and pianist Mary Lou Williams. The episode on Dett zeros in on his transformative work The Ordering of Moses. Joshua hopes the growing audience is "compelled to reconsider how we hear, categorize, and interpret music after hearing how each guest and historical figure featured represents the African diaspora in a unique way while creating an intentional body of work."

The eighth and ninth episodes are a retrospective of the entire Melanated Moments catalog so far. With subjects from Chevalier de Saint-Georges to Shirley Verrett, Melanated Moments uncovers a hidden trove of classical music some never knew existed yet offers a fresh perspective on Black contributions in the world of classical music for those with a deep musical knowledge. The podcast is available on all streaming platforms.

Angela and Joshua are available for live presentations of Melanated Moments for school, university, and community concerts. The show comes to life with their outsized personalities and clever narrative alongside their live performances of works from the African diaspora. Companion classroom curriculum of six lessons for grades 9 through 12 is available on the Classical Music Indy website.

Melanated Moments in Classical Music is made possible in part by the Indiana Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Additional support comes from the Indy Arts Council and the City of Indianapolis. Season Seven promotional partners are WFYI, Morning Brown, Inc., and Indianapolis Opera.

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