Robert McFerrin Sr. was the first Black man to sing at the Metropolitan Opera. He won the Met National Auditions in 1953, and his debut was in “Aida” in 1955, in the role of Amonasro. This was 3 weeks after Marian Anderson’s historic debut as the first Black person to sing …
Nina Simone in 1965 , CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Nina Simone was a legendary musician known as the “High Priestess of Soul” because of her hypnotizing voice and ability to make the listener become completely absorbed in her music. Her first hit was “I Loves You Porgy” in 1959, and …
Ragtime is a novel turned into a musical that tells the story of American Americans, immigrants, and wealthy Americans. It touches upon subjects like racism, class distinction, political corruption, and police brutality. One of its most iconic songs is “Make them hear you.” This song is about telling the stories of …
Marian Anderson was a contralto singer who overcame Jim Crow America to become one of the most legendary singers in history. Born in Philadelphia in 1897, Marian started her singing career in the Union Baptist Church youth choir. The conductor, impressed by Marian’s talented voice and ability to sing any part of a hymn, whether it …
Florence Price composed over 300 musical works, and she became the first African-American woman to be recognized as a symphony composer. Price was well aware of the obstacles she would face, as evidenced by her letter to Serge Koussevitzky, a legendary conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, where she said, …
multicolored hand paint, by Alexander Gray, via Pexels Objective: Hands-on learning and an interactive experience that can easily be turned into a teaching tool. Materials: Shaving Cream Mixing Bowl Food Coloring Window or Mirror or paper Step 1: Spray Shaving Cream onto a bowl Step 2: Using the food coloring of your choice drop 3-4 …
Rhythm and Blues, Hip Hop, and Rap consist of hard-hitting beats from either drums or synthesized beats (computer-made beats). Even though the culture was formed in the 1970s, Rap music was not entirely into the public eye until the 1990s where artists Like Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. were approaching …
An Alternative Rock Genre coming from Seattle Washington, Grunge exploded in the early to mid-’90s as acts like Pearl Jam and Nirvana overtook the mainstream. Lyrics are typically angst-filled and introspective, often addressing themes such as self-doubt, neglect, betrayal, social and emotional isolation, psychological trauma, and a desire for freedom. Using the handout at home, talk about the last …
