Roberta Flack the Performance

The Quarter Note Vol. 10, No. 4 Fall 2009

Sphinx Chamber Orchestra Tour Help Keep the Music Playing qGrows, Returns to Carnegie Hall Join us at Carnegie Hall in VIP box seats and meet the artists over cocktails, light fare, and desserts following to Honor Roberta Flack the performance. As a VIP Sponsor, you will receive box seat tickets to n 2004, the Sphinx Chamber five years, Sphinx has given the concert and admission to the afterglow, as well as Orchestra played its first dozens of young musicians recognition of your support in the concert program. concertI at Carnegie Hall, and the opportunity to perform on has since returned four times one of the world’s great stages, Angel Sponsor - $10,000 earning rave reviews from The and we have shared their All sponsor benefits, plus: New York Times. Last fall, the talent with thousands of young • VIP Seating and afterglow admission for eight Orchestra embarked on its people from the New York • A principal chair in the orchestra named for you or inaugural national tour, which area,” said Sphinx Founder and your organization included eight performances President Aaron P. Dworkin • 30 general admission tickets for the charity of your choice from Chicago to Boston. This of the Sphinx Artist Series at year, the Orchestra’s tour has Carnegie Hall. Pharaoh Club - $5,000 grown to 13 performances, All sponsor benefits, plus: including another return to Chaired by Sheila C. Johnson, • VIP Seating and afterglow admission for four Carnegie Hall. a founding partner of Black • A section chair in the orchestra named for you or Entertainment Television your organization Joining the Sphinx Chamber (BET), this special concert will • 20 general admission tickets for the charity of your Orchestra on tour is the Continued page 3 choice Harlem Quartet, a group that is quickly gaining recognition Pyramid Patron - $2,500 for their musically-refined and • VIP Seating and afterglow admission for two engaging performances. Giza Plateau - $1,500 The tour began on September • VIP Seating and afterglow admission for one 13 at Bowling Green State Contact Marshay R. Williams for VIP information University and includes 646-429-1987 x713 or [email protected] performances on the east coast, as well as in the south and Midwest, concluding with two The Sphinx Laureates performances in California in late October. The full schedule at Carnegie Hall is available on page 3. Featuring Sphinx Chamber Orchestra On October 7, the Sphinx Harlem Quartet Chamber Orchestra and Elena Urioste Harlem Quartet return to Ms. Roberta Flack to receive Sphinx Maestro Damon Gupton Carnegie Hall. “In the past Lifetime Achievement Award OCTOBER 7 2009 6:00 p.m. Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall

Tickets $20 CarnegieCharge (212) 247-7800 www.carnegiehall.org Discount for groups of 10 or more call (212) 903-9705 SAVE THE DATE! October 5, 2010 The Sphinx Laureates return to Carnegie Hall The Sphinx Chamber Orchestra. Photo: Nan Melville Editor: Stephan Bobalik Contributors: Stephan Bobalik, Aaron Dworkin Design & Layout: Julie Renfro PRESIDENT’s note

Greetings during the busy fall season! Founder/President Aaron P. Dworkin As you can see from this issue, there is a lot going on here at Sphinx. We are especially Board of Directors excited about our upcoming Carnegie Hall event chaired by Sheila C. Johnson, where Ruben Acosta, Chair Jenice Mitchell Ford, Vice-Chair we will celebrate the incredible achievements of the legendary Roberta Flack! Anthony Glover, Treasurer Kurtis T. Wilder, Secretary Deidre Bounds Martha Darling I want to take a brief moment to thank all of you for your support and commitment to Aaron P. Dworkin Kenneth C. Fischer the mission of Sphinx. In partnership with the Cultural Alliance of Southeast Michigan, Howard Hertz Al McDonough Daedra McGhee David Rudolph the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan launched an incredible challenge Beverly Willis program this summer, which made every gift worth 50 percent more. I want to share Board of Advisors our sincere appreciation on behalf of the young people whose lives we will be able Sanford Allen David Cerone to touch with the magic of music as a result of your participation. With the Community Foundation’s match, your Ronald A. Crutcher Dominique de Lerma Matthew Derr Roberto Diaz gifts to Sphinx totaled over $100,000! Anthony Elliott Guillermo Figueroa Sandra Gibson Kelly Hall-Tompkins Juanita Jackson Polly Kahn The incredible economic challenges of the past 12 months are a serious threat to our ability to continue the criti- Christopher Kendall Margaret M. Lioi cal work we do. Your dedication to the communities we reach is now more important than ever. Your support Christian Matjias Lolita Mayadas Charlene J. Mitchell Lester Monts enables young people to attend our Preparatory Music Institute @ Wayne State University or Sphinx Performance Anne Parsons Willis Patterson Academy @ Walnut Hill School on full scholarship. Your generosity allows young students in Detroit, Flint, and Juan Ramirez Sebastian Ruth Stephen Shipps George Taylor other communities to pick up a violin and experience the feeling of making music for the first time. You make it George Trudeau Albert Webster possible for our emerging young professional musicians to grace the stage of Carnegie Hall and the winners of Honorary Committee the Sphinx Competition to inspire millions with their performances! Thank you! Branford Marsalis, Chair Nikki Giovanni Ida Kavafian Ani Kavafian Nigel Kennedy I hope to see you on October 7 at Carnegie Hall. Jaime Laredo Tania Leon Yo-Yo E. Ma Mark O’Connor Christopher O’Riley Itzhak Perlman André Previn Awadagin Pratt Aaron Dworkin Leonard Slatkin Nadja Solerno-Sonnenberg Michael Tilson Thomas George Walker

On July 13, eighteen Metro Detroit students joined their peers from around the country on the campus of Emory University for Camp New Look. Among the participants was Perry James, a 14-year old percussionist and Sphinx Prep student. The program is sponsored by R & B musician Usher Raymond IV and his New Look Foundation, which was established to empower youth from underserved communities by giving them the skills necessary to enter careers in the sports and entertainment industry, with the intent of increasing their economic status and decreasing Bingham Trust at-risk behavior. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Perry most enjoyed the opportunity he had to meet other young people from different states. “I really liked that it was kids from all over the country,” he said. “We got to relate to each other and discover our differences and similarities.” Black United Fund of Michigan Now in its fifth year, the program’s theme was Mr. David Rockefeller C.S. Mott Foundation “Issue, Action. . .Power!” Campers were taught to identify The Kresge Foundation Aaron Copland Fund issues and take action to address those issues; they left with Margaret A. Cargill Lula C. Wilson Trust the power to change the world through service. “When Foundation young people begin to help others, they help themselves,” Scherman Foundation Leo Guthman Fund Claire Giannini Fund said Usher of the theme. Max & Victoria Dreyfus The Loraine & Melinese Reuter Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation Foundation Foundation “It’s a good program because it teaches kids how to be successful instead of just another kid on the block doing nothing,” said Perry. Students participated in many fun and educational activities while at Camp New Look, including performing a concert and learning how to be successful in business and life. The opportunity for Metro Detroit students to participate in Camp New Look was made possible by MGM Grand Gradoux-Matt Rare Violins Detroit. SCO Tour, cont. SPHINX NEWS include the presentation of the Sphinx Lifetime Achievement Award to Roberta Flack, the renowned songstress and music education advocate. 13th Annual Sphinx Competition for young Black & Latino String Players “My love for music began when I was very young, and I have presented by seen on the faces of young people around the world the power of music. I support the Sphinx Organization because they give so many children the opportunity to fall in love with music they way I did,” said Johnson. “I believe so strongly that music education should be a part of every child’s life, and February 3 - 7, 2010 I hope others will join me at Carnegie Hall to support this important work.” Applications due November 11th! For application & guidelines visit Ms. Johnson will present the Sphinx Lifetime Achievement www.sphinxmusic.org/applicants/general.html Award to Roberta Flack in honor of her extensive music education career as well as her artistic excellence and accomplishments. Classically trained on the piano from an Thanks to all who made a gift to Sphinx during the early age, Ms. Flack received a music scholarship at age 15 Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan Arts & to attend Howard University and went on to a successful Culture Challenge. Your gifts totaled over $100,000, and put Sphinx among the most generously supported career as a performer and recording artist. Ms. Flack recently participating organizations. opened the Roberta Flack School of Music at the Hyde Leadership Charter School in the Bronx. The school provides Through our partnership withGradoux-Matt Rare Violins, an innovative and inspiring music education program to LLC and WMP Concert Hall, Sphinx Competition alumnae underprivileged students free of charge. Mariana Green-Hill, Maia Cabeza, and Yemi Gonzalez performed at the WMP Concert Hall in New York in Can’t make it to a concert? Follow the September. Mariana had the privilege of performing on a Stradivarius instrument as part of the “Strad for Lunch” series. Sphinx Chamber Orchestra tour blog online: www.SphinxMusic.org/blog/sco.php Welcome to our newest summer education partner, International Music Academy Pilsen, Czech Republic. First-place laureate of the 2007 Competition, Elena Urioste, was a winner of the inaugural London Music Masters Awards. As part of the award, she will make her debut performance at Wigmore Hall in October. Harlem Quartet violist Juan-Miguel Hernandez won first place in the viola division of the International Johannes Brahms Competition in Vienna. Congratulations! Danielle Belen, 2008 Laureate, will perform Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons with the Winston Salem Symphony on October 17, 18, and 19. Have news? We want to hear it! Send your updates to [email protected].

2009 SCO TOUR SCHEDULE September 13 September 22 October 2 Bowling Green State University Bridgewater College Rockefeller Universtiy Bowling Green, OH Bridgewater, VA New York, NY September 15 September 24 October 5 University of Akron Porter Center for Performing Arts Old Dominion/Chandler Recital Hall Akron, OH Brevard, NC Norfolk, VA September 17 September 27 October 7 August Wilson Center North Carolina A &T State University Carnegie Hall Pittsburgh, PA Greensboro, NC New York, NY

September 20 September 29 October 21 Oberlin University Eastman School of Music California State University Oberlin, OH Rochester, NY Chico, CA

October 24 For ticket information visit Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts www.sphinxmusic.org/programs/chamber_orchestra.html Cerritos, CA and use the links at the bottom of the page 400 Renaissance Center Suite 2550 Detroit MI 48243

Something to Ponder:

A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence.

~Leopold Stokowski

popular music, R&B, jazz, blues, blues, jazz, R&B, music, popular to Music”, Ms. Flack has built a a built has Flack Ms. Music”, to

while listening to a wide range of of range wide a to listening while My Love”, and “Set the Night Night the “Set and Love”, My students free of charge. of free students

she began taking piano lessons, lessons, piano taking began she to You”, “Tonight I Celebrate Celebrate I “Tonight You”, to program to underprivileged underprivileged to program

church. When she turned nine, nine, turned she When church. Makin’ Love”, “The Closer I Get Get I Closer “The Love”, Makin’ and inspiring music education education music inspiring and

musical influences from the the from influences musical With His Song”, “Feel Like Like “Feel Song”, His With which provides an innovative innovative an provides which

Flack discovered her earliest earliest her discovered Flack Hathaway), “Killing Me Softly Softly Me “Killing Hathaway), Charter School in the Bronx, Bronx, the in School Charter

Arlington, Virginia, Roberta Roberta Virginia, Arlington, University classmate Donny Donny classmate University Music at the Hyde Leadership Leadership Hyde the at Music

Carolina, and raised in in raised and Carolina, (a duet with former Howard Howard former with duet (a the Roberta Flack School of of School Flack Roberta the

Born in Asheville, North North Asheville, in Born Your Face”, “Where Is the Love” Love” the Is “Where Face”, Your Ms. Flack recently opened opened recently Flack Ms.

“The First Time Ever I Saw Saw I Ever Time First “The Very active as a humanitarian, humanitarian, a as active Very

soul to folk to jazz. jazz. to folk to soul With a string of hits, including, including, hits, of string a With

musical landscape from pop to to pop from landscape musical

and Sydney Symphonies. Sydney and the world. world. the

extensively in various parts of of parts various in extensively effortlessly traversing a broad broad a traversing effortlessly labels. labels. Tasmanian, West Australian Australian West Tasmanian,

which has been performed performed been has which

loves, culture and politics, while while politics, and culture loves, with one of the world’s foremost foremost world’s the of one with Queensland, Adelaide, Adelaide, Queensland,

from Traditional Life (1970) (1970) Life Traditional from

songs deal insight into our lives, lives, our into insight deal songs which began a remarkable career career remarkable a began which including the Melbourne, Melbourne, the including the piano, including Scenes Scenes including piano, the

several of Euba’s works for for works Euba’s of several a story through her music. Her Her music. her through story a audition with Atlantic Records, Records, Atlantic with audition acclaimed orchestras in Australia, Australia, in orchestras acclaimed

The concept is articulated in in articulated is concept The

unparalleled in her ability to tell tell to ability her in unparalleled he instantly arranged for her to to her for arranged instantly he performed with critically critically with performed

Uzoigwe and Gyimah Labi. Labi. Gyimah and Uzoigwe

our time, Roberta Flack remains remains Flack Roberta time, our McCann, heard Ms. Flack’s voice, voice, Flack’s Ms. heard McCann, In February 2009, Ms. Flack Flack Ms. 2009, February In I J.H. Kwabena Nketia, Joshua Joshua Nketia, Kwabena J.H.

African composers, such as as such composers, African of the greatest songstresses of of songstresses greatest the of When famed musician, Les Les musician, famed When conducted by Marvin Hamlisch. Hamlisch. Marvin by conducted

most important contemporary contemporary important most

nternationally hailed as one one as hailed nternationally Orchestra in Washington DC, DC, Washington in Orchestra ovation! standing a her earning

been adopted by some of the the of some by adopted been

with the National Symphony Symphony National the with Aida, of production a directed pianism. This concept has has concept This pianism.

best known being African African being known best pleasure of appearing recently recently appearing of pleasure already she’d 19, at graduated,

theories of composition, the the composition, of theories

Artists Symposium. She had the the had She Symposium. Artists she time the By Maryland.

he has pioneered several several pioneered has he

she is developing called The Real Real The called developing is she Chase, Chevy near school white Bela Bartok. Since 1970, 1970, Since Bartok. Bela

himself to be a disciple of of disciple a be to himself talented group of musicians that that musicians of group talented all- an at teacher student black

scholarly work and considers considers and work scholarly

songs and a project involving a a involving project a and songs first the became Flack Ms.

between composition and and composition between

ventures -- an album of Beatles Beatles of album an -- ventures Dr. Euba divides his time time his divides Euba Dr.

at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, of University the at involved with two exciting studio studio exciting two with involved institution. the at enroll

W. Mellon Professor of Music Music of Professor Mellon W.

the world, and is currently currently is and world, the ever to students youngest the

there. Currently the Andrew Andrew the Currently there.

appreciative audiences around around audiences appreciative of one her making scholarship, 1935 and spent his early years years early his spent and 1935

Lagos, Nigeria on April 28, 28, April on Nigeria Lagos,

Ms. Flack continues to play to to play to continues Flack Ms. music full a on University

A. A.

Akin Euba was born in in born was Euba Akin

Howard at enrolled she 15, by

legendary Walk of Fame. of Walk legendary and students, black for contest African pianism? African

received a Star on Hollywood ‘s ‘s Hollywood on Star a received statewide a in sonata Scarlatti a authored the theory of of theory the authored

composer and professor professor and composer

of and few attain. In 1999, She She 1999, In attain. few and of of performance her with honors

Q. Q. What Nigerian Nigerian What

musical legacy that many dream dream many that legacy musical top won she 13, At pop. and

Quik Quiz Quik CENTER STAGE CENTER Roberta Flack Roberta A Conversation with Roberta Flack

piano—through the goodness thing, every, every, everything, hired as a music teacher, rather of my Sunday School Superin- having finished Howard I was hired to teach English tendant’s heart—with a teacher University at a very young and Math. It was not fun, but who had studied at Howard age. And I could have finished I taught ninth grade English herself, and then I went on to even younger but I changed and grammar and twelfth study as an outside student at my major. I was majoring in grade literature. And I had a Howard at 14 with the great piano and that is what my ninth grade homeroom class. Hazel Harrison, an African- scholarship was in and then I I taught music to everyone in American Indian, who is in wasn’t prepared for education the school and I had a choir the Encyclopedia Britannica. I and to teach. Consequently, I that met Tuesday and Thursday have a great historical back- stayed over to complete some evenings, and maybe Tuesday ground in study, piano study education courses, so I finished mornings. These were young and music study, and it is hard a semester later than everyone people who had never partici- for me to talk about my begin- else in my class did. So it was pated in a statewide regional nings as a musician without you know…I could have been choir competition – which Quarter Note: How did you talking about all of this because upset about that but I wasn’t, was not a competition in the get started with music? What it just pours out of me. It was I was very anxious to get a job sense that you competed for were your earliest musical just so important. –and I knew that I had to stay. a prize. You competed to be influences? How have they The Dean of the Music School adjudicated on the basis of how stayed with you throughout I went on to Howard Univer- said to me, “Roberta, as well well you performed a song that the years? sity as a student myself at 15 as you play and as well as you everyone else around the state years of age—with a scholar- think you play, and as well as could sing. No one ever failed. Roberta Flack: I was sur- ship. Then I taught school and the other students in your class Our students performed some- rounded by adults who were everything just opened up and do, in fact, play better and sing thing that was fairly difficult, if musicians – my mom, my unfolded like that, and it was better than you, it is very hard I recall—a song from my days father – self-taught musicians, just incredible. Accompanying for black people to get jobs as as a member of the choir at my grandmother, uncles, aunts, aspiring singers of opera at 19 soloists – as classical musical Howard University. It took the relatives who sang and made or 20 years of age – sight-read- soloists. So, my dear, you need whole year to get them ready – music with each other. My ing, transposing difficult pieces some education courses, you but we did it. We did. mother was a church organist; of music – quite challenging. need to be able to work, you the church that we belonged to need to work. Maybe you will It was very difficult—difficult did very, very, very important get a job playing somewhere, for them because they had arrangements of sacred choral QN: In college, you were the but you need to be prepared to never done anything like that, music and I was influenced by first black student teacher in work so you can support your- but they sat there and they that. an all white school in MD self. You need some education were able to move through, and then taught in NC before courses.” So I stayed to finish come through, and pass. I was I grew up in Arlington, Vir- returning to Wash, DC, how some education courses, and it very happy about that. Several ginia, which is not far from did these experiences shape the was a good thing that I did. of the students I taught piano Washington, D. C., where way you see the value of diver- I got a job in Farmville, North to privately, and they were Howard University is located. sity in life and in music? Carolina, which was an inter- able to pass their fears. A lot A lot of the choir directors esting experience. I was 19, of the guys—big guys, already who worked at the church that RF: Well, of course, the answer almost 20, years old and I had fathers—were not able to sing I attended, and who conducted to that question is that I do in- a ninth grade class, a home- when I got there, but by the the senior choir, had been stu- deed see the value of diversity room class, and they were 18, end of the year they could sing dents at HU and were gradu- in life – I cannot imagine life 19—20 some of them—and anything. It was wonderful ates. They brought wonderful being the same old thing every they were parents, some of to see the transition, hear the music to the choir for which day all the time, you know, them, and I, of course, was not progress, and see the changes. my mom played and eventually diversity is key and important even though I was their age. They would actually climb I had a chance to play. It was to everything that is valuable They looked at me as some through my window, skip their just a great time for me to be as far as education and life sort of strange creature but we other classes, and beg me to growing up in Arlington, and itself is concerned—and the communicated because young sing bass and tenor. to be exposed to all this music learning experience in general. people can do that. We did and all these incredible adults In its simplest form, as well a lot of Stevie Wonder, R&B Then I left at the end of that who played and sang and gave as its most complicated form, music of the day, to get their year and came back to the East me a chance to hear incredible diversity has everything to do attention – tried to learn the Coast because my father had classical music, classical vocal with education and how it is “Star Spangled Banner” start- passed away, and I got a job music, sacred, secular, classical given to a student. For me it ing with what they knew and teaching in Washington, D.C., instrumental music – Bach, was very important because progressed to what we wanted and I taught there for another Chopin, Schumann Brahms, I thought that I knew every- them to know. three-and-a-half or four years. Schubert…it was overwhelm- thing—most young people While I was there, I got a job ing…Tchaikovsky, Rachmani- do and I was no different. I There was no budget for a at a restaurant, the Tivoli Op- nov. At 9 I started to study thought that I knew every- music teacher, so I was not Continued other side era Restaurant. Life changed, very shy—there were not a lot Australia. Wow!! Wow, again! of what we hear on the radio, on to Mr. Henry’s – “First of hand movements, she was Great! Twelve shows back-to- in terms of pop music, is sam- Time Ever I Saw Your Face…” a tall, sort of big woman, and back in Japan at the Blue Note pled. People can listen to your she was very hippy and her Jazz Club—big fun—never music and decide that they like hips moved like so, “Give me thought I would do that again, it and say, “A-ha!” They snatch QN: What music are you a…and a bottle of beer…,” but with the right musicians it and call it theirs, and it is listening to these days? and so it was about her hips. and good health, the right road hard for you to see them do I just learned so much from manager, the right everything that. You want to say, “Gimme RF: I am listening to Aretha people who knew more about - BIG difference. Had a good my stuff back…,” “Think of Franklin, Whitney Houston, my singing (at that point) and time. Brought the whole staff your own funky riffs…think of Ralph McDonald, Marvin more about my performing of the club on stage for the last your own beautiful melodies… Gaye, James Ingram, Kings of than I did, and they gave me show! WOW! think of your own harmonic Leon. I’m listening to Green everything—every single, pos- sequences! Leave me the ‘ham Day, I’m listening to Bob sible thing that they could lay samich’ alone!” We live in a Marley, I’m listening to the at my feet was available to me QN: What words of advice do world where young people are Black-Eyed Peas, Katy Perry, in terms of ideas…information. you have for young musicians? allowed to usurp your ideas— Angelique Kidjo, DJ Van. I’m encouraged to, and call them listening to Barbra Streisand, RF: First of all, know that their own. There is very little I’m listening to Stevie Wonder, QN: What personal attributes you are young, that is the first original music coming out of Frank Sinatra, and umm…Pa- do you believe are most im- thing. You are young and the minds and hearts and spir- varotti, Andrea Bocelli, Miles portant for a young musician you are a musician, so you its of young people today. Davis. And that is the truth, to have? are blessed twice. These two that is what I am listening to… things do not last forever, But there are some who are some of my old recordings and RF: Open mind, a curiosity because you grow older, you giving it up, and those who Eugene McDaniels. that is never-ending, dedica- lose your youth, you lose your are giving it up are doing so, tion to craft, focus, tirelessness, agility, your flexibility, your so fiercely, and with so much the ability to practice…forever. memory, your focus, and you energy and intelligence that it QN: What inspired you to A love of melody, and harmony, must hold on tightly to these is extremely powerful. Deli- establish the Roberta Flack and lyrics, and tempo. All of things with great tenacity. cious to hear. Delicious to hear School of Music (RFSM) and those characteristics and quali- Be committed to practice, to the young people who are part what do you hope to accom- ties – just a love of all of that, skill at your highest level, and of the Sphinx Organization. plish there? individually and collectively. to reaching always for a higher calling, a loftier gaining of Nowadays pop music young RF: I need to get more accomplishment, never satis- people are so bottled up in a for myself—that is how it QN: Over the course of your fied, always looking for more kind of sphere where they are is done—give more to get incredible career, there have – beauty in melody, harmony, encouraged to not think so more. I am trying to give been numerous highlights. tempo, change, aesthetics, dif- broadly, maybe not broadly young people an opportunity What moments have been the ference, uniqueness, boldness. enough, but to think quickly to get something –get some most personally meaningful Hold on to those things and do and to get something out of the things I had. So many to you? what you have to do in order to that is an instant hit. They fantastic people influenced maintain that balance so that think in the hit mode, not in me and gave all the inspira- RF: Hmmm…I did a Brazil- you can be flexible and pure at the brilliance mode, or good, tion they could make available ian Suite in Tokyo in the late the same time–never bored— or clever, or unique mode, for the taking – they made it 1980s or early 1990s. We did hold on to your musicianship, therefore this “hit” lasts not available. All I had to do was the suite in Portuguese, and your skills—your singing skills, so long. They think in the hit just to say, “I want to know.” it was just the most beautiful your art, your artistic ability— mode and in the computer Basically, I want to know music – the full Tokyo Sym- you have to hold on to them mode, you know. And I do not what love is, I want to know phony with the most wonder- and you have to work at it. think there is anything wrong what music is, I want to know ful singers and my band, and it with that necessarily, it is just what all this good stuff is all was just great, absolutely great. It is not something that you that it is limiting and does not about. And they opened up That was a real highlight—that can take for granted – you give them a chance to use all and let me have it. Just such a music, and I was fortunate must not, you must not, you that they have to work with, brilliant opportunity, I mean, enough to have my voice must not take it for granted. intelligence wise, and in terms I had a chance to meet James teacher accompany me. It was of their own and other people’s Baldwin who said to me, “If a wonderful experience. Meditate—eat, pray, love... experience, their own ideas, you’re going to sing—if you are other people’s ideas, other going to do Bessie Smith and I’ve had lots of highlights— people they may be working sing like Bessie Smith—then many orchestral performances. QN: What has changed about with, thinking with their own you have to learn how to walk, I did a performance with the being a musician since you heads, hearts and spirits, and you know.” And it was such a Boston Pops with Arthur Fie- began, are there challenges using it is not something they very simple thing! The whole dler, which scared me to pieces. that musicians face today that are doing and therefore, they point was that everything that I don’t know why, but I shook did not exist when your career miss the real fun….MUSIC! Bessie Smith did was in her the whole time and he frowned was just beginning? FOR A WHILE… voice and in her walk because at me. It makes me laugh, now. RF: Music wise—pop music she was not a very outgoing Moving right along…last year, wise—we live in a world that person. Really, she was really thirteen Symphony concerts in has very little originality. Most