Violinist Rachel Barton Pine has been an ally for Black voices for more than 25 years.
She has championed the work of lesser-known composers throughout her career and released a recording of violin concertos by Black composers in 1997, over 25 years ago. Additionally, Barton Pine’s foundation was created not only to provide a pathway for future classical musicians but also to support music by Black composers.
“It's just great music,” she says. “And we've all been missing out by not having it in our lives for all these years. And that's the most exciting thing, that people are just like, ‘Wow, this stuff is great.’ And I honestly think it would have been part of the music that we know and love all along, if not for historic discrimination.”
An updated version of her 1997 recording was released in 2022. It now includes a newly discovered violin concerto by Florence Price.
When she’s not playing or recording classical music, she goes for something she originally thought was completely different: heavy metal. Then she discovered these worlds were not so far apart after all. To prove it, Earl Maneein, another metal-loving violinist, has composed a violin concerto for Rachel. It’s described as a mash-up of Dmitri Shostakovich’s music and metal.
Credits
Host: Vernon Neal
Producer: Dan Nass
Writers: Andrea Blain and Scott Blankenship
Executive Producer: Julie Amacher
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About Rhapsody in Black
Where we turn up the voices of Black artists in the world of classical music, with host Vernon Neal.
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