During this 250th anniversary year of the United States, the Field Notes blog will showcase articles, interviews, and other media that engage with the breadth and diversity of music in the US. From the music of John Williams to Bad Bunny, Billie Holiday to Hamilton, contributors in these pieces interrogate the scope and complexity of American musical practices. Stay tuned for perspective on the past, present, and future of music in the US as the semiquincentennial unfolds.
The following recording showcases a performance and presentation led by Kedrick Armstrong on October 14, 2024 at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The event was part of the AMS’s Many Musics of America project and organized in partnership with the Oakland Symphony and San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
In “Orchestrating Blackness: Music of Irene Britton Smith and Julia Perry,” Oakland Symphony Music Director and Conductor Kedrick Armstrong discusses the work of these modernist Black female composers. Armstrong explores the sonic and stylistic features of Smith’s and Perry’s music, and asks whether, in an era preoccupied with identity, we are overlooking important music that does not carry obvious identity markers.
Kedrick Armstrong was named the 9th Music Director of the Oakland Symphony in the orchestra’s almost 100-year history. His inaugural season was met with audience and critical praise for his programming, dynamic stage presence, and palpable energy for music making and audience connectivity. Learn more at Kedrick Armstrong’s website.
