Music department announces diversity initiative

This fall, the Randolph College music department will emphasize cultural and ethnic diversity in its repertoire as part of the “Lift Every Voice” initiative.

“The music department will focus on more diverse representation in the selections we offer our students and the community,” said Emily Yap Chua, music professor and chair of the department. “Every performance in the coming academic year will feature at least one work by a composer who is a person of color or a woman. The programming includes regional premieres of works composed within the last 20 years, bringing more new music to our audiences as well.”

Some of the featured composers will include Amy Riebs Mills, Manuel Ponce, Evan Williams, Linda Robbins Coleman, and Niloufar Nourbakhsh. Randolph students will also perform works by a diverse group of artists in the Fall Orchestra Concert.

The performance schedule this fall is as follows:

• Friday, August 31: Guest Artist/Faculty Recital featuring Monica Fosnaugh and Emily Yap Chua
• Friday, October 19: Guest Artist/Faculty Recital featuring Michael Samis and Emily Yap Chua
• Tuesday, November 13: Guest Artist/Faculty Recital featuring Corrine Byrne and Emily Yap Chua
• Friday, November 16: Fall Orchestra Concert featuring guest artist Corrine Byrne, Opera on the James Tyler Young Artists, and Randolph College Orchestra
• Sunday, December 2: Christmas Vespers

The series will continue on Saturday, January 19 with a Guest Artist/Faculty Recital featuring Katherine Jolly and Emily Yap Chua.

All concerts are free and open to the public. For times and locations, please visit http://www.randolphcollege.edu/calendar/.