Classical music is often associated with the Western canon, yet its development has long been shaped by diverse influences and contributions from the African and African Caribbean diaspora.
The Black Classics Symposium brings together leading artistic directors, composers and musicians to explore the landscape of Black-led classical music and opera. The programme reflects on historic pioneers such as Florence Price — the first Black American woman to have her symphony performed by a major orchestra — Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the eighteenth-century French composer and virtuoso violinist, and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, the pioneering Black British composer.
Alongside these historic figures, the symposium also highlights contemporary trailblazers who are reshaping classical music and opera today, ensuring the genre remains a living and evolving tradition enriched by diverse voices and perspectives.
Confirmed Contributors
Philip Herbert – Award-winning composer, arranger and orchestrator. His compositions include Elegy – In Memoriam to Stephen Lawrence, Ballare: To Dance and Silent Aria. His work has been performed by the Philharmonia, Sinfonia Viva, London Mozart Players, London Symphony Orchestra, Chineke! Orchestra, BBC and Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, among others.
Alison Buchanan – Artistic Director of Pegasus Opera Company and internationally renowned soprano. She has performed worldwide and collaborated with André Previn, Dame Joan Sutherland, Plácido Domingo, Franco Zeffirelli, Luciano Pavarotti and Sir Willard White. She is the only Black female director of a European opera company and appeared in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
The ticket includes entry to the Black Classics Symposium (2:00pm–4:30pm) and the Black History Month Launch: Black Classics Concert at Leicester Cathedral at 7:30pm.
Image credit: Portrait of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Public domain.
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