The Linking Legacies project, curated and performed by tenor Cornelius Johnson, cellist Khari Joyner, violist Chris Jenkins, and pianist Dianna White-Gould, features multiple generations of African American classical artists performing and living in Ohio, and honors classical compositions by African American composers with deep ties to Northeast Ohio.

While Northeast Ohio’s rich legacy of African American classical music performance and composition is not nationally well-known, during the late 19th and 20th century it was a hub of activity and training for young Black musicians. During this period, musical training was available to them at only a select number of schools, such as Oberlin Conservatory, the Cleveland Institute of Music, New England Conservatory, and Howard University. Composers such as Nathaniel Dett, Hale Smith, Dolores White, H. Leslie Adams, George Walker, and many others were able to pursue musical training at the secondary and conservatory level in Cleveland and the areas surrounding Oberlin Conservatory. An emphasis on racial inclusion was supported in part by the prominent role played by certain parts of Northeast Ohio in the Underground Railroad, including the towns of Oberlin and Yellow Springs.

Linking Legacies celebrates the legacy of these composers by featuring performers with personal connections to the institutions where they trained, and to the composers themselves. This program will highlight works for voice, piano, cello, and viola. Read more about the talented performers here.