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Black Mozart and other forgotten composers – Concert Talk

Thursday 9 October

To mark Black History Month, this special Concert Talk will shine a light on the lives and legacies of Black composers whose contributions have shaped classical music.

Orville Breeveld, from the Royal Concertgebouw, will guide the audience through the stories and achievements of figures such as Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, Majoie Hajary, and Joseph Bologne, often referred to as the “Black Mozart.” Their remarkable journeys and works will be explored in depth.

Adding a musical dimension to the evening, award-winning pianist Dr Rebeca Omordia will perform a selection of pieces by these composers. Her artistry brings their music to life, showcasing the richness and creativity that has too often been overlooked in classical traditions. The conversation and performances will be moderated by Kim Wassens, offering an engaging blend of storytelling, history, and live music.

Orville Breeveld is a prominent advocate for diversity in classical music. He is widely known for Gemiste Sterren (Lost Stars), a podcast on Black classical composers produced with Radio 4, Het Concertgebouw, and 24 Classics. At the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, he works as a consultant to broaden programming and audience engagement, leading projects such as From Southeast With Love and the symposium From Exclusive to Inclusive. In 2023, he also debuted as a documentary filmmaker with Nieuwe Blik Terug, a six-part series highlighting forgotten Black European icons.

Dr Rebeca Omordia has been described as an “African classical music pioneer” (BBC World Service) and a “game changer” (Classical Music). She has spent the past decade championing African classical composers through performance and research. Her celebrated programme African Pianism has toured internationally, and she is the founder of The African Concert Series, a groundbreaking platform now resident at Wigmore Hall in London.

This evening promises to be both inspiring and illuminating. Combining scholarship, live performance, and discussion, it offers audiences the chance to rediscover extraordinary Black composers and their music, while celebrating diversity within the classical tradition.

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