Open Ears

Open Ears: The Endlessly Unfolding Story of Margaret Bonds

Explore the underappreciated life and work of Margaret Bonds, a pioneering Black composer and pianist, whose music is still being discovered 46 years after her death.

Open Ears: Get to Know “the Dean of Black Women Composers”.

Explore the life of Undine Smith Moore, a significant 20th-century composer and teacher of spirituals, known as "the Dean of Black Women Composers".

How Does One of the Most Famous Composers of the Late 1700s Just Disappear from History?

Explore the life of Joseph Bologne, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a prominent 18th-century musician, fencer, and revolutionary, whose legacy was nearly lost to history.

Nora Holt: Free-Spirited Composer of the Harlem Renaissance

Explore the life of Nora Douglas Holt, a pioneering African-American composer, singer, and critic from the Harlem Renaissance, whose contributions to music remain largely unappreciated.

Open Ears: Get to Know the Incredible Story of Marian Anderson

Explore the inspiring journey of Marian Anderson, a trailblazing African American singer who overcame racial barriers to perform at the White House and Metropolitan Opera.

Open Ears: Eva Jessye and the Harlem Renaissance

This article explores the life of Eva Jessye, a key figure in American music and the Harlem Renaissance, who made significant contributions to civil rights and classical music.