“A $40,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts will boost the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s efforts to showcase Black artists,” writes Jeremy Goodwin in Sunday’s (1/23) St. Louis Public Radio. “The organization will use the money to commission a new work that its IN UNISON chorus will perform with the orchestra … May 6 … at Powell Hall…. The IN UNISON chorus focuses on work by African and African American composers…. Nathalie Joachim, a Brooklyn-based composer, flutist and vocalist, will compose the new piece. She has already conducted several interviews with members of the chorus and will incorporate their words into the composition, titled ‘Home.’ The Haitian American musician is a member of Eighth Blackbird [ensemble].… [SLSO] President and CEO Marie-Hélène Bernard said, ‘This is a complete recognition and support of great music by great artists, but it’s also supporting Black artists and how they are contributing to creating a really interesting catalog of music for symphony orchestras.’ … [Chorus Director Kevin] McBeth said [Music Director Stéphane] Denève approached him to discuss new opportunities … ‘to expand the breadth and depth of what the IN UNISON chorus has done with an orchestra.’ ”
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