Florence Beatrice Price was an African-American classical composer, pianist, organist and music teacher, born in Little Rock, Arkansas, educated at the New England Conservatory of Music, who was active in Chicago from 1927 until her death in 1953. Price is noted as the first African-American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer, and the first to have a composition played by a major orchestra.

 Price composed over 300 works: four symphonies, four concertos, as well as choral works, plus art songs, and music for chamber and solo instruments.

Florence Price composed numerous works: four symphonies, four concertos, as well as choral works, plus art songs, and music for chamber and solo instruments, works for violin, organ anthems, piano pieces, spiritual arrangements, three piano concertos, and two violin concertos. Some of her more popular works are: “Three Little Negro Dances,” “Songs to the Dark Virgin”, “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord” for piano or orchestra and voice, and “Moon Bridge”. Price made considerable use of characteristic African-American melodies and rhythms in many of her works. In the program notes for her piano piece, Three Little Negro Dances, Price wrote: “In all types of Negro music, rhythm is of preeminent importance. In the dance, it is a compelling, onward-sweeping force that tolerates no interruption… All phases of truly Negro activity-whether work or play, singing or praying-are more than apt to take on a rhythmic quality.”

Source: Wikipedia