The multitalented Paul Robeson excelled as a vocalist, civil rights advocate, performer on stage and screen, and professional football player. Several years ago, the renovation of Robeson’s Philadelphia residence, where he spent his final decade, received seed funding through a grant from The Presser Foundation. Though historic home restoration falls outside the Foundation’s usual scope,…
By Daniel Jackson, Graduate Music Fellow On Sunday, December 15th, I walked along S. Broad Street, filled with excitement as I approached what I lovingly call “the House that Tindley Built”—Tindley’s Temple—experiencing it for the first time. A century ago, Rev. Dr. Charles A. Tindley referred to this sanctuary as “God’s Cathedral” during its construction.…
Image: Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey educational programming (top) and community concert (bottom) By Jill Aguayo, Executive Director, Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey For the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey (CPNJ), classical music is more than a performance—it’s a mission to revitalize and uplift the Trenton community, our home. As one of the few orchestras…
By Daniel Jackson, Graduate Music Fellow Monday, November 4th, 2024, before dawn. Due to my PhD study habits, I often fall asleep on the couch. The alarm on my cell phone unceremoniously brought me out of my slumber on my living room couch. During these early hours of the morning, I often meander through social…
By Daniel Jackson, Graduate Music Fellow Encouraging. Inspiring. Liberating. Thought-provoking. My heart is full…You had to be there. If The Presser Foundation allowed it, this review of the Elevate Vocal Arts’ (EVA) Bent, But Not Broken (BBNB) Conference would be as short as the preceding statement. Alas, this transformative conference deserves a more robust description.…
Image: Music for Everyone after school participants creating music and community together. By Dr. John R. Gerdy, Founder and Executive Director, Music For Everyone An ongoing debate within the educational community relates to how to classify music programs within the academic curriculum. Specifically, whether music and the arts should be considered an extracurricular or core…
By Daniel Jackson, Graduate Music Fellow On October 6th, the esteemed vocal ensemble Elevation, part of the Elevate Vocal Arts organization, graced the stage at Abington Presbyterian Church (PA) as part of the Music At Abington Concert Series. This free concert showcased Elevation, Delaware’s sole professional vocal ensemble, leveraging its extraordinary vocal prowess to deliver…
By Daniel Jackson, Graduate Music Fellow On Sunday, October 27th, the Greater South Jersey Chorus and Chamber Singers, under the baton of Artistic Director Dr. Christopher Thomas and conductor Art McKenzie, captivated their audience with a beautifully curated program titled Untraveled Worlds: Landscapes From Within. Set against the evocative backdrop of the historic Scottish Rite…
By Daniel Jackson, Graduate Music Fellow Karim Sulayman, tenor; Sean Shibe, guitar On this clear and comfortable Sunday afternoon, I enjoyed the serenity of my back porch while watching tenor Karim Sulayman and guitarist Sean Shibe perform at the historic Benjamin Franklin Hall, hosted by the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. This concert series showcases high-quality…
By Daniel Jackson, Graduate Music Fellow An unseasonably warm and humid evening air permeated through the windows and doors of the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia on this Friday evening. Condensation from the rain glistened from the open windows. But no one seemed to mind the warmth or inclement weather, for in this sanctuary the…