Adolphus Hailstork @ 80: A Celebration
The Harlem Chamber Players
Originally Aired: Thursday, May 20, 2021
Overview
Throughout his prolific career, composer and professor Dr. Adolphus Hailstork has composed works for chorus, solo voice, piano, organ, various chamber ensembles, band, orchestra, and opera. His compositions have been performed by world renowned orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic and more.
In celebration of Hailstork’s 80th birthday, watch a concert presented by the Harlem Chamber Players, in collaboration with WQXR. This program will also serve to preview some selections from the Harlem Chamber Players’ debut album. WQXR’s Nimet Habachy hosts.
FEATURING
Ashley Horne, violin
Claire Chan, violin
Amadi Azikiwe, viola
Wayne Smith, cello
Hassan Anderson, oboe
Kenneth Overton, baritone
David Berry, piano
PROGRAM
Songs of the Magi for Oboe and Strings
”Detroit” Piano Quintet
(premiered by The Harlem Chamber Players on February 28, 2019 at the Schomburg Center)
”Nobody Know,” A Concert Aria for Baritone and String Quartet
(commissioned and premiered by The Harlem Chamber Players on February 28, 2019 at the Schomburg Center)
Leadership support for The Greene Space’s Artist-in-Residence program is provided by:
Adolphus Hailstork received his doctorate in composition from Michigan State University and has written numerous works for chorus, solo voice, piano, organ, various chamber ensembles, band, orchestra, and opera throughout his active career. Among his early compositions are: CELEBRATION, recorded by the Detroit Symphony in 1976, OUT OF THE DEPTHS (1977), and AMERICAN GUERNICA (1983), two band works which won national competitions.
Significant performances by major orchestras have been led by eminent conductors such as James de Priest, Paul Freeman, Daniel Barenboim, Kurt Masur, Lorin Maezel, Jo Ann Falletta and David Lockington. In March 2019, Thomas Wilkins conducted Hailstork’s AN AMERICAN PORT OF CALL with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Hailstork’s newest works include THE WORLD CALLED (based on Rita Dove’s poem “Testimonial”), a work for soprano, chorus and orchestra commissioned by the Oratorio Society of Virginia and STILL HOLDING ON an orchestral work commissioned and premiered by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Awaiting premieres are Symphony no. 4, A KNEE ON THE NECK for three soloists, choir and orchestra, and TULSA: 1921 for mezzo, strings, percussion and harp, which will be premiered in a virtual concert at The Greene Space on June 19.
Dr. Hailstork is retired from college teaching, and currently works as a composer in Virginia Beach Virginia. You can read more about his illustrious career here.
The Harlem Chamber Players are an ethnically diverse collective of professional musicians dedicated to bringing high-caliber, affordable and accessible live classical music to people in the Harlem community and beyond. In addition, The Harlem Chamber Players seek to build an audience for classical music in general through community and educational outreach, as well as through collaborations with Harlem’s other arts organizations, schools and cultural institutions, while creating opportunities for classically trained musicians of color.
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