Podcasts about Roland Hayes

As the United States faces its most momentous and contentious election since at least 1968, let's turn for today to our neighbors to the North to become acquainted with one of their cultural icons: the African Canadian contralto Portia White (1911-1968), the first internationally renowned Black Canadian classical singer, named a “person of national historic significance” by the Canadian government in 1995. Her story is taught to Canadian school children, her legacy has yielded operas, musicals, plays, and memorials which celebrate her contribution; she has even appeared on a stamp issued by Canada Post. In Canada she is revered with the same significance as are Marian Anderson, Dorothy Maynor, and Roland Hayes. And yet in the United States she is virtually unknown. Part of this is no doubt because she left no commercial recordings, and because her international career was so brief. This episode seeks in its own humble way to right that wrong, and to place Portia White in the context of other Black singers of her era. At the time of her death of cancer in 1968, a memorial LP was issued containing live recordings from the 1940s, including selections by Schubert, Fauré, Bizet, and Arne; French Canadian folk songs, and spirituals. I have arranged those selections into an “imaginary recital” such as she might have given in one of her concerts during those years. The episode is framed by two different recordings of her “theme song,” the poignant and plangent “Think on Me.” White is the first of two contraltos of international significance I will be presenting this week. I am honored and thrilled to introduce (or re-introduce) her to you today. Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel's lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody's core is the celebration of great singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. By clicking on the following link (https://linktr.ee/CountermelodyPodcast) you can find the dedicated Countermelody website which contains additional content including artist photos and episode setlists. The link will also take you to Countermelody's Patreon page, where you can pledge your monthly support at whatever level you can afford.

Remember the summer of 2020? The good old days of lockdown? That was the first summer that I was producing Countermelody, and during that time I tried to inject a little levity into the podcast by doing a long series on crossover. One such episode was devoted to a century of tenors singing crossover, reaching back further than a century from Hermann Jadlowker and Caruso himself and extending to the present day. There was such a wealth of gorgeous material which led to an additional bonus episode on such “Rogue Tenors,” which includes (among the German-speaking singers) Helge Rosvaenge, Fritz Wunderlich, Peter Schreier, Richard Tauber, Marcel Wittrisch, Jonas Kaufmann, Anton Dermota, Walther Ludwig, Herbert Ernst Groh, Joseph Schmidt, Jan Kiepura, and Julius Patzak; others include Stuart Burrows, Roland Hayes, Richard Lewis, Lawrence Brownlee, Jan Peerce, José Carreras, Kenneth McKellar, Noah Stewart, Tino Rossi, Luigi Alva, Giuseppe di Stefano, and Jerry Hadley in a wide range of repertoire and styles ranging from Neapolitan songs Kurt Weill; from folk songs to Victorian parlor songs; from operettas and Tonfilm Schlager to jazz and rock. It's a rollicking good ride; hold on tight and enjoy! Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel's lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody's core is the celebration of great singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. By clicking on the following link (https://linktr.ee/CountermelodyPodcast) you can find the dedicated Countermelody website which contains additional content including artist photos and episode setlists. The link will also take you to Countermelody's Patreon page, where you can pledge your monthly support at whatever level you can afford.  

Tomorrow will mark 100 years since tenor soloist Roland Hayes sang at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It was the first time a Black performer at appeared in front of the BSO. We learn more about his legacy and what it means for classical music today.

British-born composer, opera singer, and teacher Amanda Ira Aldridge is the topic of conversation for Joshua and Angela on this episode. A promising operatic contralto, Aldridge studied and performed the vocal works of compatriot Samuel Coleridge Taylor. A severe case of laryngitis ended her singing career but provided the catalyst for her to mold and teach vocal legends Roland Hayes, Paul Robeson, and Marian Anderson. Adaptable, resourceful, and musically imaginative, Aldridge created a lineage of melanated moxie whose influence spans generations of groundbreaking Black artists from the 20th century to the present day.Featured Music:"Prayer Before Battle," arranged and performed for harp by Elisabeth Remy Johnson"Carnival, Suite of Five Dances: I. Cavalcade," performed by Rochelle Sennet "Three African Dances, Mvt. 2: Luleta's Dance," performed by Bryan ChuanSupport the show

BlackFacts.com presents the black fact of the day for July 1st.Roland Hayes named soloist with Boston Symphony Orchestra.He was the first African American singer to achieve success on the classical concert stage.Hayes was born in Curryville, Georgia, to Fanny and William Hayes, who were former slaves. He wanted an education, but he had to drop out of school to help support his family and worked at many jobs.He moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where he found a job singing at a silent movie theater. He had to sing offstage so that people could hear his voice but not see his skin color.To earn money he went on a tour of black churches and colleges in the South. In 1917 he announced his second concert, which would be held in Boston's Symphony Hall. In 1920 Hayes performed his first European concert in London, England. While in London he received a message from King George and Queen Mary of England, requesting that he perform for them. He toured Europe several more times, singing in seven different languages, and by the late 1920s he had become the highest-paid tenor in the world.After the 1930s, Hayes stopped touring in Europe because the change in politics made it unfavorable to African Americans.Learn black history, teach black history at blackfacts.com

Singing Like Germans: Black Musicians in the Land of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms by Kira Thurman (Cornell University Press, 2021) is a truly interdisciplinary study. Dr. Thurman's work sits at the intersection of German Studies, History, and Musicology. Beginning in the 1870s with concerts given by the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Singing Like Germans covers a century of Black musicians performing classical music in Germany and Austria. This sprawling book takes on how and why Black musicians came to Central Europe to perform classical music from their homes in North America, Africa, or the Caribbean, and what their reception reveals about German ideas of race, nationhood, and musical culture. She traces how the political tumult of one hundred years of war, Nazism, and the division between East and West Germany contributed to the changing circumstances of Black musicians in the area, but also how ideas of race remained remarkably consistent in all that time. Performers such as Roland Hayes, Marian Anderson, and Grace Bumbry, among many others, found opportunities in Central Europe denied them in other places, but audiences and critics understood their musicianship through racialized stereotypes and local political and cultural conditions. Given Singing Like German's wide breadth—chronologically and as a work of scholarship—this conversation is in the form a roundtable rather than a traditional interview. Three hosts from the New Books Network have come together to interview Dr. Thurman. Kristen Turner from New Books in Music is a lecturer in the music and honors departments at North Carolina State University. Her research centers on race and class in American popular entertainment at the turn of the twentieth century. Emily Allen (@emmyru91) is a host with New Books in Music and New Books in Celebration Studies. She holds a Ph.D. in musicology from Florida State University. Her current research focuses on parade musics in Mobile, Alabama's carnival. Nicole Coleman from New Books in German Studies is Assistant Professor of German at Wayne State University. She tweets @drnicoleman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Singing Like Germans: Black Musicians in the Land of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms by Kira Thurman (Cornell University Press, 2021) is a truly interdisciplinary study. Dr. Thurman's work sits at the intersection of German Studies, History, and Musicology. Beginning in the 1870s with concerts given by the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Singing Like Germans covers a century of Black musicians performing classical music in Germany and Austria. This sprawling book takes on how and why Black musicians came to Central Europe to perform classical music from their homes in North America, Africa, or the Caribbean, and what their reception reveals about German ideas of race, nationhood, and musical culture. She traces how the political tumult of one hundred years of war, Nazism, and the division between East and West Germany contributed to the changing circumstances of Black musicians in the area, but also how ideas of race remained remarkably consistent in all that time. Performers such as Roland Hayes, Marian Anderson, and Grace Bumbry, among many others, found opportunities in Central Europe denied them in other places, but audiences and critics understood their musicianship through racialized stereotypes and local political and cultural conditions. Given Singing Like German's wide breadth—chronologically and as a work of scholarship—this conversation is in the form a roundtable rather than a traditional interview. Three hosts from the New Books Network have come together to interview Dr. Thurman. Kristen Turner from New Books in Music is a lecturer in the music and honors departments at North Carolina State University. Her research centers on race and class in American popular entertainment at the turn of the twentieth century. Emily Allen (@emmyru91) is a host with New Books in Music and New Books in Celebration Studies. She holds a Ph.D. in musicology from Florida State University. Her current research focuses on parade musics in Mobile, Alabama's carnival. Nicole Coleman from New Books in German Studies is Assistant Professor of German at Wayne State University. She tweets @drnicoleman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Singing Like Germans: Black Musicians in the Land of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms by Kira Thurman (Cornell University Press, 2021) is a truly interdisciplinary study. Dr. Thurman's work sits at the intersection of German Studies, History, and Musicology. Beginning in the 1870s with concerts given by the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Singing Like Germans covers a century of Black musicians performing classical music in Germany and Austria. This sprawling book takes on how and why Black musicians came to Central Europe to perform classical music from their homes in North America, Africa, or the Caribbean, and what their reception reveals about German ideas of race, nationhood, and musical culture. She traces how the political tumult of one hundred years of war, Nazism, and the division between East and West Germany contributed to the changing circumstances of Black musicians in the area, but also how ideas of race remained remarkably consistent in all that time. Performers such as Roland Hayes, Marian Anderson, and Grace Bumbry, among many others, found opportunities in Central Europe denied them in other places, but audiences and critics understood their musicianship through racialized stereotypes and local political and cultural conditions. Given Singing Like German's wide breadth—chronologically and as a work of scholarship—this conversation is in the form a roundtable rather than a traditional interview. Three hosts from the New Books Network have come together to interview Dr. Thurman. Kristen Turner from New Books in Music is a lecturer in the music and honors departments at North Carolina State University. Her research centers on race and class in American popular entertainment at the turn of the twentieth century. Emily Allen (@emmyru91) is a host with New Books in Music and New Books in Celebration Studies. She holds a Ph.D. in musicology from Florida State University. Her current research focuses on parade musics in Mobile, Alabama's carnival. Nicole Coleman from New Books in German Studies is Assistant Professor of German at Wayne State University. She tweets @drnicoleman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/german-studies

Singing Like Germans: Black Musicians in the Land of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms by Kira Thurman (Cornell University Press, 2021) is a truly interdisciplinary study. Dr. Thurman's work sits at the intersection of German Studies, History, and Musicology. Beginning in the 1870s with concerts given by the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Singing Like Germans covers a century of Black musicians performing classical music in Germany and Austria. This sprawling book takes on how and why Black musicians came to Central Europe to perform classical music from their homes in North America, Africa, or the Caribbean, and what their reception reveals about German ideas of race, nationhood, and musical culture. She traces how the political tumult of one hundred years of war, Nazism, and the division between East and West Germany contributed to the changing circumstances of Black musicians in the area, but also how ideas of race remained remarkably consistent in all that time. Performers such as Roland Hayes, Marian Anderson, and Grace Bumbry, among many others, found opportunities in Central Europe denied them in other places, but audiences and critics understood their musicianship through racialized stereotypes and local political and cultural conditions. Given Singing Like German's wide breadth—chronologically and as a work of scholarship—this conversation is in the form a roundtable rather than a traditional interview. Three hosts from the New Books Network have come together to interview Dr. Thurman. Kristen Turner from New Books in Music is a lecturer in the music and honors departments at North Carolina State University. Her research centers on race and class in American popular entertainment at the turn of the twentieth century. Emily Allen (@emmyru91) is a host with New Books in Music and New Books in Celebration Studies. She holds a Ph.D. in musicology from Florida State University. Her current research focuses on parade musics in Mobile, Alabama's carnival. Nicole Coleman from New Books in German Studies is Assistant Professor of German at Wayne State University. She tweets @drnicoleman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/performing-arts

Singing Like Germans: Black Musicians in the Land of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms by Kira Thurman (Cornell University Press, 2021) is a truly interdisciplinary study. Dr. Thurman's work sits at the intersection of German Studies, History, and Musicology. Beginning in the 1870s with concerts given by the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Singing Like Germans covers a century of Black musicians performing classical music in Germany and Austria. This sprawling book takes on how and why Black musicians came to Central Europe to perform classical music from their homes in North America, Africa, or the Caribbean, and what their reception reveals about German ideas of race, nationhood, and musical culture. She traces how the political tumult of one hundred years of war, Nazism, and the division between East and West Germany contributed to the changing circumstances of Black musicians in the area, but also how ideas of race remained remarkably consistent in all that time. Performers such as Roland Hayes, Marian Anderson, and Grace Bumbry, among many others, found opportunities in Central Europe denied them in other places, but audiences and critics understood their musicianship through racialized stereotypes and local political and cultural conditions. Given Singing Like German's wide breadth—chronologically and as a work of scholarship—this conversation is in the form a roundtable rather than a traditional interview. Three hosts from the New Books Network have come together to interview Dr. Thurman. Kristen Turner from New Books in Music is a lecturer in the music and honors departments at North Carolina State University. Her research centers on race and class in American popular entertainment at the turn of the twentieth century. Emily Allen (@emmyru91) is a host with New Books in Music and New Books in Celebration Studies. She holds a Ph.D. in musicology from Florida State University. Her current research focuses on parade musics in Mobile, Alabama's carnival. Nicole Coleman from New Books in German Studies is Assistant Professor of German at Wayne State University. She tweets @drnicoleman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/music

Singing Like Germans: Black Musicians in the Land of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms by Kira Thurman (Cornell University Press, 2021) is a truly interdisciplinary study. Dr. Thurman's work sits at the intersection of German Studies, History, and Musicology. Beginning in the 1870s with concerts given by the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Singing Like Germans covers a century of Black musicians performing classical music in Germany and Austria. This sprawling book takes on how and why Black musicians came to Central Europe to perform classical music from their homes in North America, Africa, or the Caribbean, and what their reception reveals about German ideas of race, nationhood, and musical culture. She traces how the political tumult of one hundred years of war, Nazism, and the division between East and West Germany contributed to the changing circumstances of Black musicians in the area, but also how ideas of race remained remarkably consistent in all that time. Performers such as Roland Hayes, Marian Anderson, and Grace Bumbry, among many others, found opportunities in Central Europe denied them in other places, but audiences and critics understood their musicianship through racialized stereotypes and local political and cultural conditions. Given Singing Like German's wide breadth—chronologically and as a work of scholarship—this conversation is in the form a roundtable rather than a traditional interview. Three hosts from the New Books Network have come together to interview Dr. Thurman. Kristen Turner from New Books in Music is a lecturer in the music and honors departments at North Carolina State University. Her research centers on race and class in American popular entertainment at the turn of the twentieth century. Emily Allen (@emmyru91) is a host with New Books in Music and New Books in Celebration Studies. She holds a Ph.D. in musicology from Florida State University. Her current research focuses on parade musics in Mobile, Alabama's carnival. Nicole Coleman from New Books in German Studies is Assistant Professor of German at Wayne State University. She tweets @drnicoleman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

In this episode, Angela and Joshua welcome scholar, author, and renowned vocalist Robert Sims to discuss the life and legacy of Roland Hayes. An in-depth discussion reveals Sims' great care in charting Hayes' pioneering career pathway for Black male vocalists at the turn of the 20th century. Sims' research also brings to light Hayes' influence on subsequent generations of celebrated singers throughout the 20th and 21st century, including himself.Featured music:"Du bist die ruh," sung by Roland Hayes"Go Down Moses," sung by Roland Hayes"Little Boy," sung by Robert Sims"Oh My Lord, Keep Me from Sinking Down," sung by Roland Hayes and Robert SimsSupport the show (https://classicalmusicindy.org/support-classical-music-indy/)

A message delivered by Benjamin Robinson

A message delivered by Benjamin Robinson

How does one become a musical legend? In the conclusion of Marian Anderson: The American Contralto, we chronicle Marian's journey through Europe as she is called "the voice of the century." After a successful trip to Europe and being met with resistance to perform at Consitution Hall, it led to a concert at the Lincoln Memorial. Later we talk to Charlie Edmunds about her experience teaching music in East Tennessee and a new program she is creating to expose more students to learn how to play black music. In this episode, you will hear: What Marian needed in Europe and how Roland Hayes helped The type of money Marian was making at her peak. The origin of the Nuremberg Race Laws and how they affected Marian Why Marian was not able to perform at Constitution Hall A significant song she performed at the Lincoln Memorial  Notable figures mentioned in this episode: Roland Hayes Katherine Mary Dunham Walter White

Here's the extraordinary story of Roland Hayes, another great (and largely forgotten) creator of new cosmologies.

Here's the extraordinary story of Roland Hayes, another great (and largely forgotten) creator of new cosmologies.

Here's the extraordinary story of Roland Hayes, another great (and largely forgotten) creator of new cosmologies.

Here's the extraordinary story of Roland Hayes, another great (and largely forgotten) creator of new cosmologies.

Here's the extraordinary story of Roland Hayes, another great (and largely forgotten) creator of new cosmologies.

Here's the extraordinary story of Roland Hayes, another great (and largely forgotten) creator of new cosmologies.

Here's the extraordinary story of Roland Hayes, another great (and largely forgotten) creator of new cosmologies.

Here's the extraordinary story of Roland Hayes, another great (and largely forgotten) creator of new cosmologies.

Here's the extraordinary story of Roland Hayes, another great (and largely forgotten) creator of new cosmologies.

Here's the extraordinary story of Roland Hayes, another great (and largely forgotten) creator of new cosmologies.

Op welke manier moet de Nederlandse staat recht omgaan met zwarte bladzijdes uit het verleden? Afgelopen donderdag concludeerde een onderzoekscommissie, dat in opdracht van het ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken werkte, dat de overheid excuses moet aanbieden voor het slavernijverleden. In de podcast Het Beste uit het Oog vertelt commissievoorzitter Dagmar Oudshoorn hoe dat excuus eruit moet zien. Verder hoor je twee ervaren documentairemakers over het maken van inhoudelijke afspraken met geportretteerde politici. Aanleiding is de ophef over de docu over D66-leider Sigrid Kaag, waarbij het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken en haar partij aandrongen op wijzigingen. "Het probleem was dat de makers iemand volgde die halverwege de opnameperiode van functie veranderde", analyseert journalist Coen Verbraak, die in 2012 SP-leider Emile Roemer volgde voor een documentaire. Ook hoor je het bijzondere verhaal van de zwarte muzikant Roland Hayes, die in de jaren 20 als kleinkind van tot slaaf gemaakten de sterren uit de hemel zong als operazanger. Tot slot een gesprek met een donorvader wiens zaad vaker werd gebruikt dan afgesproken en wettelijk is toegestaan. Hij heeft er bewust voor gekozen om geen anoniem donorvader te zijn, vertelt hij in de podcast.

Op welke manier moet de Nederlandse staat recht omgaan met zwarte bladzijdes uit het verleden? Afgelopen donderdag concludeerde een onderzoekscommissie, dat in opdracht van het ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken werkte, dat de overheid excuses moet aanbieden voor het slavernijverleden. In de podcast Het Beste uit het Oog vertelt commissievoorzitter Dagmar Oudshoorn hoe dat excuus eruit moet zien. Verder hoor je twee ervaren documentairemakers over het maken van inhoudelijke afspraken met geportretteerde politici. Aanleiding is de ophef over de docu over D66-leider Sigrid Kaag, waarbij het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken en haar partij aandrongen op wijzigingen. "Het probleem was dat de makers iemand volgde die halverwege de opnameperiode van functie veranderde", analyseert journalist Coen Verbraak, die in 2012 SP-leider Emile Roemer volgde voor een documentaire. Ook hoor je het bijzondere verhaal van de zwarte muzikant Roland Hayes, die in de jaren 20 als kleinkind van tot slaaf gemaakten de sterren uit de hemel zong als operazanger. Tot slot een gesprek met een donorvader wiens zaad vaker werd gebruikt dan afgesproken en wettelijk is toegestaan. Hij heeft er bewust voor gekozen om geen anoniem donorvader te zijn, vertelt hij in de podcast.

Iedere zaterdag selecteert de redactie van Met het Oog op Morgen de mooiste gesprekken van de afgelopen week, gebundeld in een podcast van een half uur. Mocht je iets gemist hebben, dan kun je het hoogstwaarschijnlijk in deze podcast terugluisteren.  Deze week een gesprek over de omvang met het slavernijverleden. Moet de Nederlandse staat excuses aanbieden voor dat verleden, en hoe? Verder hoor je twee ervaren documentairemakers over het maken van inhoudelijke afspraken met geportretteerde politici. Aanleiding is de ophef over de docu over D66-leider Sigrid Kaag, waarbij het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken en haar partij aandrongen op wijzigingen.  Ook hoor je het bijzondere verhaal van de zwarte muzikant Roland Hayes, die in de jaren 20 als kleinkind van tot slaaf gemaakten de sterren uit de hemel zong als operazanger. Tot slot een gesprek met een donorvader wiens zaad vaker werd gebruikt dan afgesproken en wettelijk is toegestaan. Hij heeft er bewust voor gekozen om geen anoniem donorvader te zijn. Bevalt deze podcast? Abonneer je dan op de podcast Het Beste uit het Oog!

Roland Hayes and the Lost Generation While reporting the story of Black Swan Records, we spoke with dozens of musicologists, one of whom produced a music compilation called “Black Swans” (plural) about forgotten Black classical singers. Here's the extraordinary tale of Roland Hayes, another great (and largely forgotten) creator of new cosmologies. The Vanishing of Harry Pace was created by Jad Abumrad and Shima Oliaee It was Motown before Motown, FUBU before FUBU: Black Swan Records. The label founded exactly 100 years ago by Harry Pace. Pace launched the career of Ethel Waters, inadvertently invented the term rock n roll, played an important role in W.C. Handy becoming "Father of the Blues," inspired Ebony and Jet magazines, and helped desegregate the South Side of Chicago in an epic Supreme Court battle. Then, he disappeared. The Vanishing of Harry Pace is a series about the phenomenal but forgotten man who changed the American music scene. It's a story about betrayal, family, hidden identities, and a time like no other. This series was produced in collaboration with author Kiese Laymon, scholar Imani Perry, screenwriter Cord Jefferson, and WQXR's Terrance McKnight. Jami Floyd is our consulting producer; our fact checker is Natalie Meade. The series features interviews with Pace's descendants and over forty musicians, historians, writers, and musicologists, all of whom grapple with Pace's enduring legacy. This episode featured scenes from Christopher Brooks' and Robert Sims' biography, Roland Hayes: The Legacy of an American Tenor. Thank you to actor William Jackson Harper for helping us bring Berlin to life. Also Lillian Xu, Eli Cohen, Theodora Kuslan, Sarah Sandbach, Andrew Golis, and MaryAnne Nesdill.    This episode featured the following music: Robert Sims Sings the Spirituals of Roland Hayes Bill Doggett's collection of Black Swan records  Black Swans: The First Recordings of Black Classical Music Performers  Du Bist Die Ruh by Roland Hayes  Were You There by Roland Hayes  Vesti La Giubba by Roland Hayes

In het kader van Theater voor Keti Koti duikt Amro Kasr in het verleden van Roland Hayes, de grootste operazanger die nooit in een opera te zien was. Kasr vertelt over deze monoloog, over de nasleep van het slavernijverleden, de invloed hiervan op de muzikale cultuur en zijn gedrevenheid om waarde creëren met theater. Kasr vertelt over deze monoloog, over de nasleep van het slavernijverleden, de invloed hiervan op de muzikale cultuur en zijn gedrevenheid om waarde creëren met theater. tekst, spel Amro Kasr regie Samora Bergtop een voorstelling van Likeminds www.theaterbellevue.nl/amrokasr Interview en mixage: Tom Helmer Montage: Merel Tames contact: podcast@theaterbellevue.nl \ Word vriend ///// Theater Bellevue investeert in talentontwikkeling door het presenteren van de jongste generatie kleinkunstenaars en theatermakers en door zelf lunchvoorstellingen te produceren waarin nieuwe toneelschrijvers en regisseurs de ruimte krijgen. Om dit te kunnen blijven doen, zijn inkomsten van particulieren hard nodig. Wil je ons ook steunen? Word Vriend van Theater Bellevue – Je bent al vriend vanaf € 75 per jaar. Als dank nodigen we je uit voor exclusieve programma's en ben je welkom bij één van onze lunchtheatervoorstellingen. Voor meer informatie kunt u contact opnemen met Eva Schneider via: steun@theaterbellevue.nl / 020-5305300

In the second episode of Deep River: The Legacy of the Spirituals, Jonathon Turner, the ASO's Gospel Meets Symphony Choirmaster, and Brenda Justice, Coordinator of Choral Programs, join co-hosts Christopher and Tom to discuss influential performers of the spirituals as they were first becoming known to the general public. Especially noteworthy is Harry T. Burleigh's influence on Dvořák, including his significant musical contribution to the New World Symphony. The episode opens with an excerpt from Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel, arranged by Lawrence Brown, performed by Alvy Powell. At the conclusion, Roland Hayes is heard in a performance of Go Down, Moses from 1922, and Marian Anderson is heard in an excerpt from her historic performance at the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday 1939. She performs Gospel Train, arranged by Harry T. Burleigh.

In preparation for the upcoming holiday, this week I offer a cross-section of art songs and arrangements of folk songs, not only from Germany, which is the epicenter of the Christmas Lied, but also France, Norway, the United States, Finland, England, and Spain The performers, recorded between 1927 and 2010, include Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Régine Crespin, Hermann Prey, Claudia Muzio, Elly Ameling, Marian Anderson, Ian Partridge, Karl Erb, Wolfgang Anheisser, Jan DeGaetani, Jorma Hynninen, Bernarda Fink, Olaf Bär, Susan Dunn, Kathleen Ferrier, and Bernard Kruysen, among many others, in songs by composers including, in part, Johannes Brahms, Joaquín Nin, Hugo Wolf, Peter Warlock, Claude Debussy, Charles Ives, and Paul Hindemith. The episode features several performances by my teacher, the esteemed accompanist John Wustman, who on Christmas Day celebrates his 90th birthday. Links to my 2019 Christmas episodes: Episode 13: Christmas with the Tenors (including everyone from Fritz Wunderlich to Georges Thill to Roland Hayes): www:countermelodypodcast.com/episode-13-christmas-with-the-tenors Episode 14: Christmas Potpourri (including my choices for the six most depressing pop Christmas songs ever!):  www.countermelodypodcast.com/episode-14-christmas-potpourri-ii-hard-try Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” Occasional guests from the “business” (singers, conductors, composers, coaches, and teachers) lend their distinctive insights. At Countermelody’s core is the interaction between singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. Please visit the Countermelody website (www.countermelodypodcast.com) for additional content. And please head to our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/countermelody to pledge your monthly support at whatever level you can afford. Bonus episodes available only to Patreon supporters are currently available, including a new extra episode further exploring today’s topic.

Our crossover series continues, this time with a full episode dedicated to more than a century of great tenors singing crossover material, beginning in 1902 with Fernando de Lucia’s recording of “Serenata” by Paolo Tosti . Along the way we observe the evolution of the genre from Victorian ballads through Neapolitan songs and Spanish-tinged material (you have not lived until you have heard Fritz Wunderlich sing “Granada”!); from folk songs and musicals to international film theme songs and  popular rock hits. Other featured singers include John McCormack, Richard Crooks, Charles Kullman, Tito Schipa, Carlo Bergonzi, Franco Corelli, Miguel Fleta, Jussi Björling, Roland Hayes, Tandy MacKenzie, Francisco Araiza, Joseph Schmidt, Beniamino Gigli, Marcel Wittrisch, Georges Thill, Richard Tauber, Jan Kiepura, James Melton, Lauritz Melchior, René Kollo, Peter Hofmann, Javier Camarena, and Jerry Hadley. Today’s episode is pure escapism, until you find yourself weeping at the unexpected beauty and pathos of it all. Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” Occasional guests from the “business” (singers, conductors, composers, coaches, and teachers) lend their distinctive insights. At Countermelody’s core is the interaction between singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. Please visit the Countermelody website (www.countermelodypodcast.com) for additional content. And please head to our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/countermelody to pledge your monthly support at whatever level you can afford. Bonus episodes available only to Patreon supporters are currently available!

Another week of Christmas music! The first part of the episode is a continuation of last week's All-Tenor Extravaganza. We hear from Farrold Stephens, Luther Saxon, Roland Hayes, James Melton, Brian Sullivan, Richard Crooks, Raoul Jobin, Jussi Björling, Richard Verreau, Fritz Wunderlich (with an assist from Hermann Prey), Rudolf Schock, René Kollo, John McCormack, Peter Schreier, and Mel Tormé (with an assist from Judy herself!) And for those who have ambivalent feelings about this holiday, the second half of the program foregrounds six of my most favoritest Depressing Christmas Pop Songs, sung by Eileen Farrell, Rita Gardner, Joni Mitchell, Edith Piaf, Judy Garland and (in memory of the recently deceased Marie Fredriksson), Roxette. A line from Judy's song "After the Holidays" (by John Meyer) provides the inspiration to the episode title: "I know it's hard, but try." Countermelody is a new podcast devoted to the glories of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great classical and opera singers of the past and present with the help of guests from the classical music field: singers, conductors, composers, coaches, agents, and voice teachers. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody’s core is the interaction between singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. Please also visit the Countermelody website for updates, additional content, and to pledge your support. www.countermelodypodcast.com

This week is the first of two episodes featuring Christmas music. I decided to feature tenors, but with a difference: none of The Three Tenors will put in an appearance. In compensation, this week I feature a panoply of superb tenors (including Fritz Wunderlich, Georges Thill, Richard Lewis, Roland Hayes, Tino Rossi, Franco Corelli, Ernst Haefliger, Richard Tauber, Karl Erb, and Matthew Swensen) in repertoire ranging across the spectrum (Handel, Adam, Gounod, Bach, Berlin, and traditional Weihnachtsmusik, with some surprises along the way). The episode concludes with a brief musical tribute to Dalton Baldwin, Gérard Souzay's partner and collaborator, who died on 12 December, a week to the day before his 88th birthday. Countermelody is a new podcast devoted to the glories of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great classical and opera singers of the past and present with the help of guests from the classical music field: singers, conductors, composers, coaches, agents, and voice teachers. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody’s core is the interaction between singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. Please also visit the Countermelody website for updates, additional content, and to pledge your support. www.countermelodypodcast.com

Voices In My Head Podcast Episode #287: Guest Francois Clemmons (Officer Clemmons) from Mister Rogers Neighborhood   On this episode of Voices In My Head we welcome Dr. Francois Clemmons. Dr. François Scarborough Clemmons is an Afro-American singer, actor, playwright and university lecturer. He is perhaps best known for his appearances as Officer Clemmons on the PBS television series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood from 1968 to 1993.In 1968, Clemmons won the Metropolitan Opera auditions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He went on to Cleveland, Ohio, where he won a position in the Metropolitan Opera Studio. He sang there professionally for seven seasons, performing over 70 roles with companies including The New York City Opera, Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, and Washington Civic Opera.Clemmons sang with numerous orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 1973, he won a Grammy Award for a recording of Porgy and Bess; he performed the role of "Sportin' Life" in that musical over 100 times.For 25 years, Clemmons performed the role of Officer Clemmons, a friendly neighborhood policeman, in the "Neighborhood of Make-Believe" on the children's television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. In the neighborhood itself, Clemmons ran a singing and dance studio located in the building diagonally across from Mr. Rogers' house. As "Officer Clemmons", he became one of the first African Americans to have a recurring role on a kids' TV series. Clemmons actively writes across genres for a variety of age groups. Currently, he is writing his autobiography entitled DivaMan: My Life in Song, a children's story entitled ButterCup and the Majic Cane, and a volume of poetry entitled A Place Of My Own. Some of his published works include a volume of spirituals named Songs for Today and a stage musical called My Name Is Hayes based on the life of Roland Hayes. He also commissioned a choral work composed of spirituals entitled Changed My Name, arranged by Linda Twine.From 1997 until his retirement in 2013, Clemmons was the Alexander Twilight Artist in Residence and director of the Martin Luther King Spiritual Choir at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont. He “played the role of professor, choirmaster, resident vocal soloist, advisor, confidant, and community cheerleader”. He is also well known in the Middlebury community for his superb rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner", which he sings at the Middlebury College men's basketball games.Clemmons lives and works in Middlebury, Vermont, where he is the Emeritus Artist in Residence of Middlebury College. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music.   Blessings,Rick Lee Jameswww.RickLeeJames.com  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rickleejames.substack.com/subscribe

Voices In My Head Podcast Episode #287: Guest Francois Clemmons (Officer Clemmons) from Mister Rogers Neighborhood     On this episode of Voices In My Head we welcome Dr. Francois Clemmons.   Dr. François Scarborough Clemmons is an Afro-American singer, actor, playwright and university lecturer. He is perhaps best known for his appearances as Officer Clemmons on the PBS television series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood from 1968 to 1993. In 1968, Clemmons won the Metropolitan Opera auditions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He went on to Cleveland, Ohio, where he won a position in the Metropolitan Opera Studio. He sang there professionally for seven seasons, performing over 70 roles with companies including The New York City Opera, Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, and Washington Civic Opera. Clemmons sang with numerous orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 1973, he won a Grammy Award for a recording of Porgy and Bess; he performed the role of "Sportin' Life" in that musical over 100 times. For 25 years, Clemmons performed the role of Officer Clemmons, a friendly neighborhood policeman, in the "Neighborhood of Make-Believe" on the children's television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. In the neighborhood itself, Clemmons ran a singing and dance studio located in the building diagonally across from Mr. Rogers' house. As "Officer Clemmons", he became one of the first African Americans to have a recurring role on a kids' TV series.  Clemmons actively writes across genres for a variety of age groups. Currently, he is writing his autobiography entitled DivaMan: My Life in Song, a children's story entitled ButterCup and the Majic Cane, and a volume of poetry entitled A Place Of My Own. Some of his published works include a volume of spirituals named Songs for Today and a stage musical called My Name Is Hayes based on the life of Roland Hayes. He also commissioned a choral work composed of spirituals entitled Changed My Name, arranged by Linda Twine. From 1997 until his retirement in 2013, Clemmons was the Alexander Twilight Artist in Residence and director of the Martin Luther King Spiritual Choir at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont. He “played the role of professor, choirmaster, resident vocal soloist, advisor, confidant, and community cheerleader”. He is also well known in the Middlebury community for his superb rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner", which he sings at the Middlebury College men's basketball games. Clemmons lives and works in Middlebury, Vermont, where he is the Emeritus Artist in Residence of Middlebury College. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music.       Blessings, Rick Lee James www.RickLeeJames.com  

Performances by solo musicians, including: Roland Hayes, Jelly Roll Morton, DeFord Bailey, Pablo Casals, Thomas "Fats" Waller, Cliff Edwards and Jimmie Rodgers. Works include: T For Texas, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Whistling Blues, Bach Cello Suite #6, All Alone and Cohen Telephones About His Automobile.

Each day during February, we posted a “Classical Music Moment in Black History” on our Facebook page to show the contributions of black artists to classical music throughout history. We’ve collected our twenty-eight February entries in this article. By the way, these entries were originally part of an episode of the Classical Classroom podcast (audio included below).  Composer Chevalier de Saint-Georges.  In the mid-to-late 1700’s, Chevalier de Saint-Georgeswas an Afro-French composer who was also France’s best fencer. After Napoleon re-instituted slavery in France, de Saint-Georges’ works were rarely played, though lots of his work has been recorded since the 1970’s. In 1803, virtuoso violinist George Bridgetower, who had studied under the leader of the Royal Opera, played with Beethoven. Beethoven then dedicated his Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major to Bridgetower, and they premiered the piece together. Later, the two had a falling out – something to do with a lady – and Beethoven changed the piece’s name. It’s now called the Kreutzer Sonata. Poet Rita Dove wrote a book about Bridgetower and Beethoven’s relationship. Soprano Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, “The Black Swan”.  In 1853, soprano Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield – people knew her as the “Black Swan” – made her New York debut at the Metropolitan Hall. While she could sing, her skin color would have denied her entrance to the concert. But that didn’t slow Greenfield down: In 1854, this classy lady sang a command performance before Queen Victoria. Composer Scott Joplin.  In 1868, innovative composer and pianist Scott Joplin was born in Texas. Joplin wrote 2 operas, one ragtime ballet, and 44 original ragtime pieces before he died. Composer Harry Thacker Burleigh.  From 1892-95, Antonin Dvorak – not black as you might know, but stick with me – was director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City. The woman who founded the school, Jeanette Thurber, opened the school to men, women, blacks, and whites – pretty unusual for that time. Dvorak felt that a true American style of music should grow out of African- and Native-American music. Harry Burleigh, one of the earliest African-American composers and one of Dvorak’s pupils, introduced Dvorak to American spirituals. In 1898, Afro-British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor wrote the musical Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast. It was wildly successful during his lifetime. Coleridge-Taylor also visited the States and inspired American blacks to become composers. Tenor Roland Hayes.  In 1921 tenor Roland Hayes gave a performance before King George V of England. In 1923, Hayes debuted at Carnegie Hall. He was the first African American man to become famous worldwide as a concert performer, and he became one of the world’s greatest Lieder interpreters. In 1926, Undine Smith Moore graduated cum laude from the Juilliard School. She was the first graduate of Fisk University, a historically black school, to receive a scholarship to Juilliard. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Moore became “…one of this country’s most prominent composers and arrangers of choral works, many based on or inspired by Negro spirituals and folk songs.” Composer William Grant Still.  1931 was the year William Grant Stillbecame the first Black American composer to have a symphonic work performed by a major American orchestra. The Rochester Philharmonic performed his Afro-American Symphony. Stills had another big “first” in 1949 when his opera Troubled Island – based on a libretto by Langston Hughes – was performed by the New York City Opera, becoming the first opera by a black person to be performed by a major company. William Grant Still was also the first black man to conduct a major orchestra (LA Phil) and he won 2 Guggenheim fellowships. In 1933, Caterina Jarboro became the first black woman to appear in a leading role with a major American opera when she again played the title role in Aida with the Chicago Opera.  Composer Florence Price. Also in 1933, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed Florence Price’s Symphony in E Minor. She was the first female African-American composer to have a symphonic composition performed by a major American symphony orchestra. Baritone Todd Duncan and Anne Brown. Culver Pictures/file 1935. In 1935, George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess opened on Broadway, with baritone Todd Duncan as Porgy, and sopranos Anne Brown as Bess and Ruby Elzy as Serena. In 1945, Todd Duncan became the first African American to sing with a major American opera company, when he played the role of Tonio Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci with the New York City Opera. Contralto Marian Anderson In 1939, both the Daughters of the American Revolution and the District of Columbia’s Board of Education refused to allow contralto Marian Anderson to use Constitution Hall and Central High School auditorium for a recital respectively. So, she gave her concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial instead, drawing a crowd of 75,000 – not to mention the millions who listened on the radio. (To read more about the performance, go here.) Lyric Soprano Camilla Williams (l) with Margery Mayer. Courtesy of Fred Fehl/New York City Opera. Also in 1945, lyric soprano Camilla Williams signed a contract with the New York City Opera in 1946, becoming the first African American to do so with a major American opera company. She debuted with the role of the heroine in Madama Butterfly. And in 1947, soprano Helen Phillips was the first African American to sing on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. In 1951 William Warfield and Muriel Rahn were the first black concert artists on TV – they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. Soprano and educator Dorothy Maynor. In 1953, soprano and educator Dorothy Maynor was the first black person to sing at a US presidential inauguration when she performed the national anthem for Dwight Eisenhower. Composer Margaret Bonds. Wikimedia Commons. Margaret Bonds, who frequently collaborated with Langston Hughes, was one of the first black composers and performers in the US to gain recognition. In 1965, when the Freedom March on Montgomery, Alabama took place, she wrote Montgomery Variations for orchestra, dedicating it to Martin Luther King, Jr.. For more information about Ms. Bonds, check out this piece from WBUR 90.9 FM. Conductor Henry Lewis. In 1968 Henry Lewis became the first black conductor and music director of a major American orchestra when he was appointed to the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. He was also the first African-American to conduct at the Metropolitan Opera. 1972 saw Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha finally premiere – 55 years after his death – at the Atlanta Memorial Arts Center. In 1976, Joplin posthumously received a special Pulitzer Prize for his contributions to American music. Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Photo by Luigi Beverelli. Courtesy Mr. Marsalis’ website. In 1983 and 1984, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis became the only artist ever to win Grammy Awards for both jazz and classical records. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1997 for Blood on the Fields, a three-hour oratorio for 3 singers and a 14-member ensemble. The oratorio follows the story of an African couple sold into slavery in the US. In 1987, conductor Paul Freeman became Founding Musical Director of the Chicago Sinfonietta. This orchestra’s mission is “Musical Excellence Through Diversity”. Dr. Freeman served for 24 years. Violinist Aaron Dworkin. Courtesy of the MacArthur Foundation website. Violinist Aaron Dworkin founded the non-profit Sphinx Organization in 1996 to cultivate the development of young black and Latino musicians in the classical music profession. The Sphinx Competition, spotlights young black and Latino string players on a national platform. Composer George Walker received the Pulitzer Prize in 1996 for Lilacs for Voice and Orchestra, a work commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra as part of its tribute to tenor Roland Hayes. This was the first time a living African American won the prize for music. Mezzo-Soprano Denyce Graves. Courtesy of the artist’s website. In 2001 mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves sang “America the Beautiful” and “The Lord’s Prayer” at the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance Service at the Washington National Cathedral following the September 11 attacks. James DePriest conducting the Oregon Sympony. Courtesy of the Sympony’s website. In 2005, James DePriest, one of classical music’s most accomplished conductors who at the time of his death in 2013 was Laureate Music Director of the Oregon Symphony and Director Emeritus of Conducting and Orchestral Studies at the Juilliard School, received the National Medal of Arts. Tim Brooks won a 2007 Grammy award for Best Historical Release with his Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry, which includes performances by Harry Burleigh, Roland Hayes, and Edward Boatner. Tenor Noah Stewart. Photograph: Mitch Jenkins Mitch Jenkins/PR. In 2012, tenor Noah Stewart became the first black musician to top the UK Classical Album Chart. Of course, we had to leave a GAGILLION people out of our daily Black History Month Facebook posts because (duh) there are just not enough days in the month. Like Jeffrey Mumford, Awadagin Pratt, David Baker, Imani Winds, André Watts, Chelsea Tipton, Thomas Wilkins, Morris Robinson, Lawrence Brownlee, Valerie Coleman, Rachel Jordan, and Tona Brown. And Daniel Bernard Roumain. And Black Violin. And… you get the idea!  But, blacks are still one of classical music’s most under-served communities. As of 2011, according to the League of American Orchestras, only 1.83% of our nation’s orchestras’ makeup was black. Aaron Dworkin has pointed out that African-American composers are often missing in traditional classical music station programming. But people like Dworkin and many others are working to change that!  We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about all of these awesome artists.

Highlights from the Library Of Congress' National Recording Registery. Performers include: Charley Parker, Roland Hayes, Erich Von Korngold, Bing Crosby, Jasha Heifetz and Duke Ellington.  Recordings include: Caldonia, The Goldbergs, Were You There?, The Adventures of Robin Hood and Brother Cna You Spare a Dime?.

Listen in as host Patrick D. McCoy shares some of his favorite sacred works as the world marks the observance of Holy Week and Easter.  This broadcast includes arias and chorus from Parts II and III of Messiah, Selections from the "Life of Christ" sung by legendary tenor Roland Hayes and others.  Sacred reflections are offered in between.

The inaugural inteview of THE TRAILBLAzER SERIES:  a series devoted to those artists that are knocking down barriers, paving the way for others to follow and enjoy thriving careers in the performing arts.  Internationally acclaimed Metropolitan Opera tenor, George Shirley is a sterling example, being the first African American star tenor, folowing in the footsteps of icon Roland Hayes.

Teacher Mary Reese Europe was the sister of James Reese Europe, who brought jazz to France in WWI. In this episode, jazz legends Billy Taylor and Frank Wess expound upon the influence of the two siblings, and Mary Reese Europe's teachings about singer Roland Hayes in prejudiced Germany prove an inspiration to her students.

Teacher Mary Reese Europe was the sister of James Reese Europe, who brought jazz to France in WWI. In this episode, jazz legends Billy Taylor and Frank Wess expound upon the influence of the two siblings, and Mary Reese Europe's teachings about singer Roland Hayes in prejudiced Germany prove an inspiration to her students.