The study of orchestral compositions of African Americans has been a neglected field of musicology. Consequently, there are relatively few historical studies on the relationship between African music and the emergence of African American composers.
The objective of my research is to produce Historically Informed Performances (HIP) of compositions by African American composers, informed by an interrogation of the socio-cultural and historical context.
This involves.
- A study of the evolution of the music of enslaved Africans and how that was assimilated and integrated to produce new world forms of expression.
- The exploration of the musicological, contextual, and cultural aspects of the conductor’s preparations for performance.
- An examination into the socio-economic impact of different cultures ability to influence the creation of art, whilst still maintaining elements of the original cultural hierarchy.
