Event Details 

1619-Present -- 11/19/20 Daypass -- African American Music and its conribution to the American Musical Landscape
Speaker: Professor Louise Toppin

Louise Toppin has received critical acclaim for her operatic, orchestral,
and oratorio performances worldwide.Represented by Joanne Rile Artist
Management, she has recorded eighteen compact discs and specializes in repertoire of African American composers. She co-founded the George Shirley
Competition and directs Videmus, which encourages performance and scholarship of African American music. She was the Distinguished University Professor,
Chair of the Music Department at UNCChapel Hill and is currently Professor of
Music at The University of Michigan.

Speaker’s Synopsis: The music of African Americans has received concurrently praise for its innovation and criticism for its lack of cultural conformity.
This lecture will discuss the history of the music as it moves from its
roots in Africa through to the present day. By examining responses to the music, we will explore the lasting implications and impact of this music on the
American musical landscape and more broadly American
culture.