Musical Louisiana's Echoes of Innovation
On Wednesday, March 4, the 18th annual Musical Louisiana: America's Cultural Heritage concert will take place at St. Louis Cathedral as a tribute to 19th-century Creole composers and cultural innovators.
The event is co-presented by the Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. This year, the program is titled Echoes of Innovation, and it will highlight Creole composers that made an impact on New Orleans' musical identity.
Notable Appearances
The event was originally founded by the late director of the HNOC's Williams Research Center, Alfred E. Lemmon. It is a free event hosted at the cathedral in the French Quarter. It is additionally streamed on the radio and online for external viewers.
Alvin Jackson of Treme's Petit Jazz Museum will curate the event, which includes work by Basile Barès, Edmond Dédé, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, and more. In addition, the music will be performed by the GRAMMY® Award-winning Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Daniela Candillari. Special guests will include clarinetist Doreen Ketchens, vocal ensemble OperaCréole, pianist Oscar Rossignoli, and musician Geovane Santos.
"Almost eight years after my initial foray into the great world of classical music, I finally met a group of likeminded people who shared my belief that this historic music needed to be properly presented to the public," Jackson said in a press release. "It is with this combined passion and creative nuances for these Afro-Creoles composers of classical music that has inspired us to do more to bridge the gap between that which for centuries has divided and silenced the world of music in America."
Concert Details & Additional Event
Before the performance begins, Jackson will also host a pre-concert talk at HNOC's Williams Research Center (410 Chartres St). The discussion will be hosted by Jari C. Honora and doors will open at 5:30 p.m. The talk will begin at 6 p.m. and conclude with time for attendees to make their way to St. Louis Cathedral.
The concert is open to the public and will begin at 7 p.m. Seating will be first-come, first-serve. For those who cannot attend in person, the event will be streamed on LPOmusic.com and WLAE.com, which broadens its reach statewide and farther. The concert will reach an audience of over 30,000 members through the live radio broadcast and stream.
Additional Information
Musical Louisiana is made possible through support from Steinway Piano Gallery of New Orleans and New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund. Support is also provided from the New Orleans City Council-Caesars New Orleans Community Support Grant.
Those interested can RSVP at hnoc.org and subscribe to receive additional updates about concert details.
