Black and Classical: A Celebration of African American Women Composers
The evening will commence with an inspirational opening talk by soprano Gabriella Di Laccio, founder of Donne, Women in Music – a UK charitable foundation dedicated to promoting gender equality and diversity in the music industry. Gabriella will share her passions, the reasons behind creating Donne, her experiences breaking a Guinness World Record for equality and inclusion in music, and her vision for advancing gender equality in the music sector.

Following Gabriella’s talk, British concert pianist Beatrice Nicholas will perform a selection of pieces by African American women composers Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, and Betty Jackson King, who were pivotal in the Chicago Renaissance. This movement saw the fusion of Western art music with African American cultural elements such as negro spirituals, jazz, and African rhythms.