Organizations and more
- The Sphinx OrganizationDedicated to solving the problem of underrepresentation of people of color in classical music.
- The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender JusticePart of the Berklee School of Music, focusing on equity in jazz and the role that jazz plays in the larger struggle for gender justice.
- Chicago Musical Pathways InitiativeFostering musicians from underrepresented backgrounds in Chicago.
- Afrocentric Sounds RadioOn online radio station featuring classical music written and/or performed by the African Diaspora. Curated by music librarian Randye Jones at Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA.
Discover music by Black composers and performers
Use these resources to discover Black composers and performers, and then try searching the Curtis Library catalog (roc.curtis.edu) to see if we have them. We also take requests to add items to our collection and to obtain items through interlibrary loan. Fill out this form to request an item: https://www.curtis.edu/academics/library/services2/request-an-item/
- Composer Diversity DatabaseCreated by the Institute for Composer Diversity. Offers search facets for gender and sexuality, race/ethnicity, region, genre, medium and location. Try browsing this database and then searching roc.curtis.edu for the composer.
- No Broken LinksThe No Broken Links directories are a starting point for scholars, performers, composers, and teachers to discover minority composers through solo and chamber repertoire for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Saxophone, and Horn. The directories focus specifically on the work of women, transgender & gender non-conforming individuals, and/or Black, Indigenous, or persons of color.
- 36 Keys : A collection of piano works by Black composersContains videos of performers playing and talking about the pieces, and short biographies of each composer. Features Curtis faculty, students, and alumni, among other excellent artists and scholars. Sponsored by New World Symphony.
- Black Composers resource at the Library of CongressThis excellent guide to finding works by Black composers was created by the Library of Congress. The Curtis Library owns many of the resources named here. Use this guide to discover music by Black composers, and then try finding items in our library catalog at roc.curtis.edu. Contact us at library@curtis.edu for more help.
- African American Classical ComposersA list from Wikipedia
- Living Composers DirectoryList of living Black composers and contact information. From the Music by Black Composers Project.
- Books about Black composersA bibliography from Music by Black Composers.
- The Music of The Music of Black AmericansA companion to Eileen Southern's classic history The Music of Black Americans (also available in the Curtis library), this website offers information on all the pieces indexed in that book.
- Eileen Southern and the Music of Black AmericansAn online exhibition about Southern and her work.
Black Music Biography : An annotated bibliography by Call Number: ML128.B3 F6 1987ISBN: 0527301582Publication Date: 1987-01-01- Blacks in Opera : an encyclopedia of people and companies, 1873-1993 by Call Number: ML102.O6 S6 1995ISBN: 0899508138Publication Date: 1995-09-01
- Black Music in America : A bibliography by Call Number: ML128 .B45 1981ISBN: 0810814439Publication Date: 1981-04-01
Music of Black Americans: a history by Call Number: ML3556.S727 M9 1997ISBN: 0393038432Publication Date: 1997
Piano Music by Black Women Composers by Call Number: Online resourceISBN: 9780313281419Publication Date: 1992
Blacks in Classical Music : a bibliographical guide to composers, performers, and ensembles by Call Number: ML128 .B45 1988ISBN: 0313260567Publication Date: 1988-06-20
An Index to African-American Spirituals for the Solo Voice by Call Number: ML128.S4 A27 1999ISBN: 0313305773Publication Date: 1999-01-30
Black Women in American Bands and Orchestras by Call Number: ML82 .H36 1998ISBN: 0810834197Publication Date: 1998-12-21
- 19 African American Composers to Celebrate on Juneteenth (and Every Day of the Year)From Thomas Wiggins to Florence Price to Jessie Montgomery. Article on WFMT blog.
- Afrocentric Voices in "Classical" MusicFrom the website: "Afrocentric Voices focuses on classically trained American singers and composers of African descent and on the vocal music forms they influenced, especially opera and art songs–including Negro spirituals composed for concert performance."
- African Origins and Adaptations in African American MusicA timeline of African American music with short blurbs composed by leading scholars in the field.
Biographies and interviews
The Heart of a Woman : the life and music of Florence B. Price by Call Number: EbookISBN: 9780252043239Publication Date: 2020-06-22
Black Classical Musicians in Philadelphia : oral histories covering four generations by Call Number: ML394 .M15 2009ISBN: 9780976735601Publication Date: 2009-11-01
The Chevalier de Saint-Georges : Virtuoso of the sword and the bow by Call Number: ML418.S139 B36 2006ISBN: 1576471098Publication Date: 2006-08-17
A Power Stronger Than Itself : the AACM and American experimental music by Call Number: ML3508.8.C5 L48 2008ISBN: 9780226476957Publication Date: 2008-05-15
Dean Dixon : Negro at home, maestro abroad by Call Number: ML422.D623 J66 2015ISBN: 9780810888555Publication Date: 2015-04-16- The Calvin Simmons Story, or, "Don't Call Me Maestro!" by Call Number: ML422.S592 W6 1994ISBN: 0964144905Publication Date: 1994-09-01
Duke Ellington, Jazz Composer by Call Number: ML410.E462 R3 1990ISBN: 0300044283Publication Date: 1990-12-26
Musical Landscapes in Color : conversations with Black American composers by Call Number: ML390 .B235 2003ISBN: 0810837064Publication Date: 2003-01-29
Nina Simone ''Black Is the Color... '' by Call Number: ML420.S598 S77 2005ISBN: 9781599266701Publication Date: 2005-11-01- I Put a Spell on You : the autobiography of Nina Simone by Call Number: ML420.S598 A3 1992ISBN: 0679410686Publication Date: 1992-02-25
Marian Anderson : A singer's journey by Call Number: ML420.A548 K4 2000ISBN: 0684807114Publication Date: 2000-02-22
Everything Man : The Form and Function of Paul Robeson by Call Number: ebookISBN: 9781478007296Publication Date: 2020-01-10
