“Acclaimed hip-hop recording artist Common, who won a 2015 Oscar for his song ‘Glory’ in the movie ‘Selma,’ is one of the headliners for the Classical Roots concert to be presented by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra on April 29 in Music Hall,” writes Janelle Gelfand in Friday’s (2/19) Cincinnati Enquirer (Ohio). “Common will perform the song that he wrote for the Civil Rights film with John Legend…. He joins the already announced Capathia Jenkins, an R&B singer who, in January, electrified the Cincinnati Pops audience in ‘I’m Every Woman’ concerts…. Pops conductor John Morris Russell will lead the orchestra, along with the Classical Roots Community Mass Choir, which is comprised of more than 100 singers from African-American churches across the Greater Cincinnati region. Led by area music ministers, the all-volunteer choir begins rehearsing months in advance in preparation for the performance. In addition, there will be performances by the orchestra’s CSYO Nouveau Chamber Players, consisting of talented African-American student musicians. Classical Roots is the CSO’s annual celebration of African-American music traditions, including classical repertoire, as well as traditional and contemporary African-American spiritual and gospel music. The entire program will be announced at a later date.”
Posted February 22, 2016
