The Choir School of St. Paul’s Burlingame invites all to their original musical on Florence Beatrice Price (1887-1953), America’s first celebrated Black woman composer.  Through her signature style pairing classical idioms with the beloved folk music of the Black community, from spirituals to the juba dance, she created the first truly American classical music.

In word and song, follow her inspiring life from a child prodigy in Little Rock, to a star organ student at the New England Conservatory in Boston, to a critically acclaimed composer after the premiere of her First Symphony in e minor by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. After her music nearly falls silent following her death, hear the voice of Florence Price sound anew when the uncovering of six boxes found in the attic of an abandoned home outside Chicago reveals her lost manuscripts in 2009.

The performance highlights music by Florence Price for choir, solo voice, piano and organ, including:

Peter, go ring them bells

A Poem

First Organ Sonata

I know why the caged bird sings

Piano Sonata in e minor

My soul’s been anchored in the Lord

Resignation

Sanctus, Communion Service

Wistful, Preludes for Piano

Praise the Lord

A free-will donation will benefit the Choir School.  A reception follows.