Rhapsody in Black

William Grant Still, the dean of African American composers

Studio portrait of composer and conductor William Grant Still (1895 - 1978), the first African-American conductor of a major orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, 1936.Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Rhapsody in Black - William Grant Still

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April 07, 2022

Composer William Grant Still is the record holder for many firsts in the Black classical world. His Afro-American Symphony was the first to be performed by a major orchestra. A huge figure in the Harlem Renaissance, Still remains one of the most programmed and celebrated Black composers.

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Credits

Host: Tesfa Wondemagegnehu

Producer: Dan Nass

Writers: Andrea Blain and Scott Blankenship

Executive Producer: Julie Amacher