Friday, May 11, 2001 at 7:00P.M.

Langston Hughes Public Library, 100-01 Northern Boulevard, Corona, Queens

Admission — FREE For information (718) 651-1100

William Grant Still Birthday Concert

A concert celebrating Still’s genius and inspiration in using music from the African, Jazz, Latino, and Western Classical Traditions.

William Grant Still - Panama Dances, Folk Suite No. 4, Miniatures, and featuring Rising Tide - the theme song from the 1939 World’s Fair

Ragtime music by James P. Johnson, Scott Joplin, Edward "Kid" Ory

Jazz music by Louis Armstrong and Paquito D’Rivera

Music by Queens composer James Cohn

Music by Louis Moreau Gottschalk - American 19^th century multi-culturalist

Music by Cuban composers Lecuona, Cervantes and Samuell

Obangiji by African composer Fela Sowande

Still Rock’n in Jerusalem - a spiritual with a salsa beat by Carl MaultsBy:

African influenced music from the Colombian coast by Jorge Olaya Muñoz

Yard Bird after Charlie Parker (Premiere) by Ed Cionek

William Grant Still (b. May 11, 1895-1978) was known as "The Dean of Afro-American composers". He was born in Woodville, Mississippi and grew up in Arkansas. Early in his musical career he played and arranged for W.C. Handy and attended the Oberlin Conservatory. Following World War I he studied composition with Edgar Varese and then attended the New England Conservatory where he was a student of George Chadwick. He held a Guggenheim Fellowship and was awarded honorary doctorates from Howard University, Oberlin College, and Bates College. W. G. Still broke many barriers during his career, including being the first African-American composer to write orchestral works and have them performed by major symphony orchestras, as well as being the first conductor of color to lead a major American symphony. His musical style incorporates a variety of African-American styles, from spirituals to blues and jazz, in addition to European, Latin American, and other folk music genres.

Monday, May 28, 2001at 2:00P.M.

Veteran’s Hospital, 179^th St. and Linden Boulevard, Jamaica, Queens.

Admission FREE (718) 298-8578

Memorial Day Concert - "The Patriots"

John Philip Sousa — Marches including Stars and Stripes Forever William Mayer - Yankee Doodle Fanfare

Aaron Copland - Appalachian Spring

Morton Gould (Queens composer) - Pavanne

James Cohn - Arkansas Reel, Shenandoah

More music by other famous Americans including Leonard Bernstein, Scott Joplin, George Gershwin, Paquito D’Rivera and famous American songs like Meet Me in Saint Louis, Charleston, Chattanooga Choo Choo, New York, New York, Singin’ In the Rain, Over the Rainbow, You Stepped Out of A Dream, You’re A Grand Old Flag, and Give My Regards to Broadway

The events in New York are made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. Free concerts in Queens are also funded with support from New York State Senator Frank Padavan with funding through the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and with support from the Honorable Claire Shulman, Borough President of Queens and the members of the Queens Delegation to the City Council including Councilman Archie Spigner with funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Matching funds provided by the Music Performance Trust Fund of the Recording Industry with co-operation of Local 802, A.F. of M. Funds also provided by The Aaron Copland Fund for Music.