Gateways Music Festival usually presents a multi-day summer event focusing on classical musicians and composers of African descent and featuring a full orchestra, recitals, and discussions in association with Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Due to the pandemic, Gateways will hold its 2020 festival this fall as an online chamber-music event, November 9-13. The festival will feature virtual solo and ensemble performances; a lecture series that includes a discussion of the intersections of Black Lives Matter and classical music; a week-long residency with a free music-education program for students in Rochester and several Rochester public schools; broadcasts on Rochester’s classical music station, WXXI-FM; and a daily segment featuring Gateways’ colleague organizations. The festival’s opening event will be a virtual concert featuring Rochester-area professional classical musicians of African descent in venues throughout the city. Lee Koonce, Gateways’ president and artistic director, said Gateways’ move to a virtual platform will “increase interaction between our Gateways musicians and students from the [Rochester school district] and Eastman, and … provides a good way for Gateways musicians to connect with students in a safe and effective way.” Visit Gateways’ website for more information.
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