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Musing On British African Composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor And Africana Classical Music

Musing On British African Composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor And Africana Classical Music

Oct. 30 2020

by Kwaku

Prologue

The Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 100PM Collective (SCT100PMC) blog was set up in 2012 primarily to highlight the life and work of the British African composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (SC-T) in the centenary year of his death. The following year one post was published, which reported on our efforts to get SC-T's BTWSC NARM Role Model image unveiled in the former boardroom of Performing Right Society (PRS) in Berners Street. And in 2014 there was another post, on account of a feature in the PRS centenary brochure entitled 'A Century Of Song', which listed SC-T's 'Song Of Hiawatha' as the most popular composition of the 1920s decade.

The blog might have remained dormant, had it not been for the opportunity for me to make a brief presentation on the life of SC-T and his connection to the founding of the collection society in 1914. This contribution kicked off the PRS Presents Black History Month. Consequently, I've been on the look out for recent events, articles and resources that speak specifically to SC-T and generally about Africans and/or African influences in classical music.

Like PRS, it's heartening to see universities and the likes of Classic FM embrace African History Month (AHM) by featuring African classical composers and performers. I'm glad that the women, often missing in these narratives are mentioned here. Names such Shirley Thompson, Errollyn Wallen, Chi-chi Nwanoku, Eleanor Alberga and Hannah Kendall are mentioned below. However, I take it to upon myself to name to talented women I know personally who are often missing: composer Joy Sigaud and Soprano Nadine Benjamin. 

For those who hate reading but are interested in classical music events, you'll have to scroll down to find out about two upcoming events on Nov. 1 and 2. Additionally, the Xtra History Sessions, which we're organising, starts its series of weekly sessions on Monday Nov. 2 with 'Where Would Reggae Be If It Were Not For Migration?' and end ends on Dec. 7 with 'Black Music And A History Of Racism In Britain: Dec. 7 1507-Dec. 7 2020', which looks at today's music through a narrative that stretches back to the 16th century. Join us is you can - there's life outside of classical music.


In recent weeks, particularly during October, which is African History Month UK (AHM), there have been several posts and events on the African presence in classical music.

I had the honour of kicking off this year's PRS Presents Black History Month with a short video contribution on the life and work of the British African composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (SC-T), and explained how his death in 1912 influenced the formation of the Performing Right Society in 1914.

I did advise people to watch the videoed event, as I thought I had read somewhere that it was going to stay online for just a short while. Sure enough, just a I started writing this post, I found the video was unavailable on Youtube, and disabled on the PRS Presents microsite, where you can however find not just information on the performers and speakers, but will soon have links to the full versions of a couple of the documentaries sampled on the day. Since my presentation did not have music, should copyright issues be the reason why the content had a short online life, I'd hope to see my SC-T contribution online at some time.

In the meantime, you can click here to listen to the 'Remembering Samuel Coleridge Taylor; African British Musician And Pan-Africanist' podcast of a 2012 presentation I gave at the National Archives to mark the centenary of the death of SC-T and AHM.

Yesterday, the You Press community organisation's 'Voices Of Black Opera: Documentary Screening & Online Operatic Performance' on Youtube made a valiant attempt at redressing "the misperception among the public about Black people and opera" by presenting a pre-screening interview with producer/director Cathy Hassan, followed by the screening of her 'Voices Of Black Opera' documentary and an operatic treat by the British Nigerian composer and singer Juwon Ogungbe. Sadly, the content has not been left on Youtube.

Another event yesterday, which sadly I could not join due to having three simultaneous meetings to juggle, was University Of Aberdeen's AHM offer 'Samuel Coleridge-Taylor - Music, Life, Legacy', which among other things was supposed to "consider the lack of diversity in classical music". Click here to read the event's details, which includes links to performances of SC-T's works and an exhibition on the website of the composer's alma mater the Royal College Of Music. (RCM) There are also links to current British composers such Hannah Kendall and Julian Joseph.

Last week, I screened my 'What They Said I Should Be: The Story Of Female Movers & Shakers' DVD as part of my 'Exploring The Legacies Of Dame Jocelyn Barrow And Other inspirational British African Women' presentation for Wandsworth Libraries' AHM programme. One of those featured in the DVD is Shirley Thompson, a classical composer, who like SC-T, has infused classical music with African sensibilities. 

Thompson is now a professor of music at University Of Westminster, where I studied and lectured on the music industry courses, You can click here to read on the university's website about her role as a consultant and featured artist in the recent Lenny Henry produced and fronted BBC documentary 'Black Classical Music: The Forgotten History'. A link from that page takes you to a story highlighting Thompson' double Black British Theatre Awards honours for the Book and Lyric Recognition Award, and she will also receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work as a British Composer and Artistic Director.

Talking about the BBC, you can click here, though there's no guarantee the file may be available, for you to listen to the final part of composer Eleanor Alberga's three-part 'A History of Black Classical Music' programme, which touches on the impact of colonialism and immigration on classical music and considers the history of black composers in the UK. It starts with a couple of SC-T compositions. In addition to the presenter, the programme also highlights the works of female British African composers Thompson and Errollyn Wallen. One time UK resident Nigerian composer Fela Şowande is among those highlighted.

Last Sunday, Chineke! orchestra founder Chi-chi Nwanoku paid tribute to SC-T with 'Chi-chi Nwanoku On Samuel Coleridge-Taylor', which was screened on Sky Arts. BME Forum also organised an online screening of Jason Young’s animation short 'The Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Story Croydon'. By the way, Chi-chi presents 'Classical Champions', a one hour show that highlights composers and performers from AAME (African, Asian, Minority Ethnic) communities on Classic FM from 9pm on Sundays.

This Sunday Nov. 1, you are welcome to join Equiano Society's 'Charles Ignatius Sancho - An African Man of Letters', which will no doubt also cover Sancho the composer and musician - click here. And on Monday Nov. 2, you can watch RCM's 'In Focus: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor' documentary live from 7pm, if you are particularly interested contributing comments. If not, as it will be posted on the RCM microsite here, you can watch it later and instead join the first our Xtra History Sessions. Click here for details of 'Where Would Reggae Be If It Were Not For' and the other programmes. It ends on Dec. 7 with 'Black Music And A History Of Racism In Britain: Dec. 7 1507-Dec. 7 2020'.

The start date of that last event speaks to a specific incident involving John Blanke, the earliest African musician in Britain for whom we have a name, image and some incontrovertible documentary evidence. It's about Britain and music down the ages, including who people negotiated and survived or succeeded, in spite of racism.

Back Matter
Ousted By Nonentities, The Truly Great Black Britons: The Conservation Woman is most displeased that SC-T is not included in the newest version of of '100 Great Black Britons', as evidenced in the recently published eponymous book. So ends the critique by providing a short SC-T history

Memoirs Of A Londoner: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Rambling London Tours offers a short SC-T history.

The Sounds Of Croydon: From Samuel Coleridge-Taylor To Stormzy Online Exhibition: Past Futures has put up a very useful resource covering LB of Croydon's old to current music makers, covering from classical, rave to grime.

Classic FM's SC-T And Africans In Classical Music: This link provides access to several articles on the radio station's website that cover SC-T and other Africans in classical music.

+Whilst the SCT100PMC blog is an ad hoc hub for SC-T information, for a more extensive and regularly updated website that covers Africans in classical music you can try Africlassical here and SC-T here. 

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Recognised in 2014

In 2012, there were numerous events to commemorate a century since the death of the African British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Although the numbers later fell, the events nevertheless continued into 2013, with the SC-T Collective being part of the consortium which managed to get SC-T's image unveiled in the boardroom of the Performing Right Society during British Black Music Month 2013.

Come 2014, we are heartened to announce that recognition of SC-T's work and his place in British history continues.

As part of marking a centenary of its formation, royalty collection organisation Performing Right Society For Music (PRS), notes in its commemorative brochure that SC-T's 'Song Of Hiawatha' is the top performed composition of the 1920s! Having been first performed at the Royal Albert Hall (RAH) in 1900, it experienced renewed interest in the 1920s/30s when it became an annual two-week programme performed in June at the RAH, produced as a fundraiser for the Royal Choral Society mainly conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent.

Hopefully, this story isn't finished, as we're working on a SC-T related proposal with the PRS family!

Having voted SC-T Croydon's favourite Croydonite in a poll organised by Croydon Council in 2013, it's no surprise that SC-T has ended up representing Croydon in the 32 Londoners event on May 1 2014, 8-11pm, which marks London's 32 boroughs by highlighting the life of one person per borough. The event takes place on the London Eye pods and lounge, with a talk on each of the personalities. Charles Elford, author of the fact-fiction biography 'Black Mahler' (it actually should read 'African Mahler') will give the SC-T talk.

Tickets, priced at £35, can be bought for the individual presentations, by clicking here.

The chosen personalities represent nearly 1000 years of London's history - from the likes of Thomas Becket, the saint born in Cheapside in 1118, Samuel Pepys, the diarist born in Fleet Street in 1633, Queen Victoria, the monarch born in Kensington in 1819, WS Gilbert, the dramatist in The Strand in 1836, through to Charlie Chaplin, the comic born in Walworth in 1889, David Bowie, the pop star born in Brixton in 1947, Jazzie B, the Soul II Soul head honcho born in Hornsey in 1963, Lennox Lewis, the champion boxer born in West Ham in 1965, Ozwald Boateng, the fashion designer born in Muswell Hill in 1967, Naomi Campbell, the supermodel born in Streatham in 1970, and Zadie Smith, the author born in my home borough Brent in 1975!

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Image Unveiled In PRS For Music Boardroom

On June 19 2013, as part of marking British Black Music Month (BBMM) a sketch of African British classical composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) was unveiled in the boardroom of PRS for Music. The private ceremony consisted of PRS staff, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 100 PM Collective members, and representatives of the Royal College of Music and Royal Choral Society.

“Samuel’s contribution to the musical world at a time when his colour could have held him back is nothing short of incredible," said PRS chair Guy Fletcher, whose organisation was "honoured to have Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's picture centre stage in our office.”

SC-T's image brings to six the number of Africans and Asians (out of 15)  whose images adorn the music industry collection society's boardroom. They are Beverley Knight, Courtney Pine, Mutya Buena, Talvin Singh and AR Rahman.

When SC-T died in 1912, there was great furore in the media after the poor finances of his estate was revealed - he sold outright the publishing rights to his biggest hit ‘Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast’ for £15.75. The Performing Right Society (PRS) was founded in 1914 partly as a consequence of the deliberations over Coleridge-Taylor’s finances.

Trade magazine Music Week covered the unveiling, which was the Music Managers Forum (MMF) CEO Jon 'Webbo' Webster heard of SC-T. At the MMF/BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress organised Talking Copyright: Should Copyright Be Owned By Creators Rather Than Corporations? seminar on June 21 2013, Webbo highlighted SC-T's case with his biggest hit, and urged writers to retain their copyright whenever possible.

The unveiled image is donated by the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 100 PM Collective. It was commissioned by Collective member organisation BTWSC for its ‘NARM (Naming And Role Model) Highlighting African British Male Role Models 1907-2007’ (BTWSC 2010) book. Coleridge-Taylor is one of the 50 NARM role models

Coleridge-Taylor was in his day as famous as today’s pop and rock stars and as successful as Paul McCartney and Elton John. His composition, ‘Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast’, made him a global star with numerous choral societies named after him at home and abroad.

The 1900 performance of the ‘Song Of Hiawatha’ trilogy at the Royal Albert Hall in London established his place within the British music and publishing world. Coleridge-Taylor toured the US three times, where his popularity transcended the racial segregation prevalent at the time. He became the first African to conduct an all European orchestra, and was invited to the White House by President Theodore Roosevelt.

Born to an English mother and a Sierra Leonean doctor father, whom he never met, he nevertheless identified with his African heritage. He provided the music for the 1900 Pan-African Conference in London, and infused African sensibilities into his music, as evidenced by titles such as ‘African Romances’ (1897), ‘African Suite’ (1899), ‘Toussaint L'Ouverture’ (1901), ‘Four African Dances’ (1904), and ‘24 Negro Melodies’ (1905).

When he died in 1912 aged just 37, a fundraising memorial concert was held later that year at the Royal Albert Hall, and King George V provided Coleridge-Taylor’s widow with an annual pension of £100.

The Royal Choral Society as a fundraising exercise chose ‘The Song Of Hiawatha’ over longer-established oratorios such as Handel’s 'Messiah’ and Mendelssohn's 'Elijah', which was performed annually at the Royal Albert Hall between 1924 to 1939.

Although his SC-T's heirs did not own the copyright to many of his compositions, they shared in the performing royalties later collected by the PRS.

Coleridge-Taylor death centenary remembered with a walk and cemetery visit

Coleridge-Taylor death centenary remembered with a walk and cemetery visit

Sept 4 2012

The centenary of the death of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, one of Britain’s most famous classical music composers in the early 20th century, who died on 1st September 1912, was remembered with a walk through Croydon, where he lived and died.

Coleridge-Taylor was born on 15th August 1875 in Holborn to an English mother and a Sierra Leonean father who was a doctor. He moved to Croydon as an infant.

The walk on September 1 visited the numerous homes Coleridge-Taylor lived, churches where he sung and was married, his school and other local connections.

The walk ended with a picnic and an optional visit to Coleridge-Taylor’s grave at Bandon Hill cemetery in Sutton, where respects were paid and one of the composer’s songs was sung as a tribute to his contribution to British choral music.

Best known for his choral composition, ‘Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast’, Coleridge-Taylor was also a pan-Africanist who introduced African sensibilities into classical music.

The walk was led by Croydon Festival artistic director Jonathan Butcher, with additional commentary by Coleridge-Taylor biographer Jeff Green. In addition to Croydon Festival, the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 100PM Collective and the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Network are some of the organisations behind a number of Coleridge-Taylor centenary events.


Kwaku

ENDS

Remembering Samuel Coleridge-Taylor  (15 Aug 1875 - 1 Sept 1912) - an African British musical genius & pan-Africanist
History consultant Kwaku will provide a synopsis of SC-T’s life, work, and legacy, and enable the audience to hear some of SC-T's music and find out a bit more about this once global superstar! This will be followed by a Q & A. Organised on behalf of Presented by BTWSC in association with BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress, and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 100PM Collective
Thursday Sept 20 2012, 2-3pm. Free. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/events/samuel-coleridge-taylor.htm. For more info: editor@britishblackmusic.com
National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU. 020 8876 3444.
 
Remembering Samuel Coleridge-Taylor  (15 Aug 1875 - 1 Sept 1912) - an African British musical genius & pan-Africanist
History consultant Kwaku will provide a synopsis of SC-T’s life, work, and legacy, and enable the audience to hear some of SC-T's music and find out a bit more about this once global superstar! This will be followed by a Q & A. Host: Cllr James Allie. Presented by BTWSC in association with BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress, and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 100PM Collective. There will be books and cakes on sale
Friday Sept 21 2012, 6-8.30pm. Free. RSVP: btwsc@hotmail.com,  www.SCT2012Brent.eventbrite.com
Brent Town Hall (Committee Rooms 2/3), Forty Lane, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 9HD

Remembering Samuel Coleridge-Taylor  (15 Aug 1875 - 1 Sept 1912) - an African British musical genius & pan-Africanist also on:
Wednesday Oct 31 2012, 2.30-4pm. Streatham Library for Lambeth schools
Wednesday Oct 31 2012, 6.30-8.30pm. Putney Library, 5-7 Disraeli Road, SW15 2DR. 020 8871 7090
Thursday Nov 1 2012, 2.30-4pm. Brixton Library for Lambeth schools
For more information: Awula Serwah  btwsc@hotmail.com
www.SCT100PMCollective.blogspot.com

Centenary Of The Death Of Global African Music Personality Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Marked In Accra

The life and work of a British-born musical genius of African heritage who died a century ago was the subject of a presentation at the WEB Du Bois Centre in Accra on Thursday. Entitled ‘Remembering Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’, the presentation, which was organised by UK-based voluntary organisation BTWSC and led by music industry and history consultant Kwaku, highlighted some of the achievements in Coleridge-Taylor’s short life.

Coleridge-Taylor was born in London in 1875 to a British mother and a Sierra Leonean father. He died in 1912, aged 37. Within his short life, he made a great impression within music, both in Britain and internationally, especially in the US, where he successfully toured three times. Within a year of completing his studies at London’s Royal College Of Music, he created two popular compositions in 1898 – ‘A Ballade In A Minor’, and ‘Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast’. The latter, a choral and orchestral piece which vied with earlier choral classics such as ‘Messiah’ and Elijah’, was the composition that brought him to global prominence.

In addition to composing and touring, Coleridge-Taylor spent his time adjudicating competitions, conducting, and teaching – he held a number of professorships in composition. In spite of his fame, he prided himself in being African, and incorporated African themes within the classical music genre. He was also a pan-Africanist - he was he a member of the African Association, which organised the 1900 Pan-African Conference in London, where he was in charge of the music programme.

The presentation, which is being delivered in London schools and libraries, was adapted to take cognisance of the venue. It ended with an insight into the enduring relationship between the Coleridge-Taylor family and Du Bois.

The links with Du Bois and other African-American leaders such as the educationalist Booker T Washingtion, were highlighted in the opening speech by Mr BS Ato Keelson, director of the WEB Du Bois Centre. Other speakers included His Excellency Mr KB Asante, who spoke of his colonial education at Achimota College, where his British music mistress did not only teach about Coleridge-Taylor’s compositions such as ‘Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast’, but also tried to widen their horizons by stressing the fact that the composer was African.

Dr DEK Baku, head of history at the University Of Ghana, spoke about his discovery of Coleridge-Taylor in a book during the research stages for his PhD, which also highlighted other leading pan-African thinkers such as Mensah Sarbah and Kobina Sekyi, both Gold Coasters.

During the Q&A session, some of the members of the audience gave personal accounts. A member of the audience talked about  her grandfather who had come to work in the Gold Coast from Dominica, and had attended the 1990 Pan-African Conference. She is researching on any correspondence there may have been between her grandfather and Coleridge-Taylor.

Members of the Sierra Leonean community spoke of the daughters of the Smith family of Freetown who knew Coleridge-Taylor, and had extended the link to Ghana, having married Gold Coasters such as the lawyer and politician Mr JE Casely-Hayford, and Dr William Awoonor Renner. Professor Kwabena Nketia, who experienced performances of  Coleridge-Taylor’s music whilst studying in London, was on hand to fill in the gaps regarding Sierra Leonean musicians who had some connection to Coleridge-Taylor.

The event was produced by BTWSC in association with WEB Du Bois Memorial Centre For Pan African Culture, BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress, and the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 100PM Collective. There was sponsorship by La Community Bank.

BTWSC is planning to organise a workshop in September entitled ‘What Does It Mean To Be A Global African?’

Ends

Awula Serwah

BTWSC Co-ordinator
info@btwsc.com

020 024 0338 (Accra)

020 8450 5987 (London)

www.BTWSC.com

Photos top to bottom

Audience
HE Mr KB Asante

Kwaku

Group shot left to right: Kwaku, KB Asante, Dr DEK Baku, Prof Kabena Nketia, and BS Ato Keelson

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor is one of those highlighted in the ‘NARM (Naming And Role Models): Highlighting African British Male Role Models 1907 – 2007’ book written by Kwaku and published by BTWSC. A free electronic version can be downloaded from www.BTWSC.com/NARM.

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 100PM Related Events

BBMM2013 Unveiling Of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Image @ PRS HQ

As part of BBMM2013, BBM/BMC associated organisation the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 100 PM Collective (aka Collective click for background) and PRS (Peforming Right Society)  are organising a short ceremony on Wednesday June 19 2013 to mark the unveiling of an image of African British classical composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) in the collection society's London boardroom. This is a by invitation event aimed at music industry and the media.

The image is donated by the Collective courtesy of Collective member BTWSC. It was commissioned by pan-London voluntary group BTWSC for its 'NARM (Naming And Role Model) Highlighting African British Male Role Models 1907-2007' (BTWSC 2010) book. Coleridge-Taylor is one of 50 NARM role models featured in the book.
For more information: editor@BritishBlackMusic.com.
 
 For details of the Collective's events, click on http://sct100pmcollective.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/remembering-samuel-coleridge-taylor.html.

PLEASE NOTE: We use African or African-British to describe SC-T, and not 'black'. And we'll use those words where we find 'black' has been used by other organisations.




Click to hear Kwaku's SC-T presentation @ the National Archives

BTWSC in association with
BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress,
and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 100PM Collective
cordially invite you
to a family-friendly 2012 African History Season event
hosted by Cllr James Allie

Remembering Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
(15 Aug 1875 - 1 Sept 1912) - an African British musical genius & pan-Africanist

An audio-visual presentation
on African British history & music*

What: A power point assisted presentation on Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, (SC-T) the African British classical music composer and Pan-Africanist, by Kwaku.  The presentation will provide a synopsis of SC-T’s life, work, and legacy, and enable the audience to hear bits of his work. This will be followed by a Q & A

When: Friday September 21 2012, 6-8.30pm

Where: Brent Town Hall (Committee Rooms 2/3), Forty Lane, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 9HD 

Cost: Free

To RVSP, book or for more information: Awula Serwah, btwsc@hotmail.com
http://sctbrent-es2.eventbrite.co.uk/
 

*UK-based music industry and history consultant Kwaku will lead a Powerpoint-assisted presentation on the life of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (SC-T), one of Britain’s favourite composers of the early 20^th century, and introduce some of his works, including ‘Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast’, which at one time vied with ‘Messiah’ and ‘Elijah’ as one of Britain’s most popular choral composition.

SC-T, born of Sierra Leonean/English parentage, was feted internationally. He made three successful tours in the US, where he became the first African to conduct an all European orchestra and was invited to meet President Theodore Roosevelt in the White House. SC-T was proud of his African roots, and tried incorporating African themes within classical music. He was a member of the African Association, which organised the 1900 Pan-African Conference in London, where SC-T met WEB Du Bois, who had an influence on the composer. The dire circumstances of  SC-T’s estate partly led to the formation in 1914 of Britain’s Performing Right Society (PRS), which collects royalties for composers and music publishers.

The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session during which SC-T’s life as an African living in England at the turn of the 20^th century, a pan-Africanist, and his relationship with Du Bois, will be explored.  The event will be introduced by Cllr James Allie.

SC-T History Talk by Kwaku @ National Archives

BTWSC/BBM/BMC heralds African/black history month with this presentation, which will reference some of the Archives resources. Thursday September 20 2012, 2-3pm at the National Archives (map) Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU. Tel: +44 (0) 20 8876 3444. For more details, click here. For more info: editor@BritishblackMusic.com. Click to listen to podcast.

Remembering Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
(15 Aug 1875 - 1 Sept 1912) - an African British musical genius & pan-Africanist

        An audio-visual presentation
    on African British history & music*

When: Sunday June 23 2012, 2.30-4.30pm

Where: Gayton Library, 5 St John's Road,
Harrow On The Hill, Middx HA1 2EE

Cost: Free

To book or for more information: editor@BritishBlackMusic.com
 

*UK-based music industry and history consultant Kwaku will lead an audio-visual presentation on the life of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (SC-T), one of Britain’s favourite composers of the early 20^th century, and introduce some of his works, including ‘Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast’, which at one time vied with ‘Messiah’ and ‘Elijah’ as one of Britain’s most popular choral composition.

SC-T, born of Sierra Leonean/English parentage, was feted internationally. He made three successful tours in the US, where he became the first African to conduct an all European orchestra and was invited to meet President Theodore Roosevelt in the White House. SC-T was proud of his African roots, and tried incorporating African themes within classical music. He was a member of the African Association, which organised the 1900 Pan-African Conference in London, where SC-T met WEB Du Bois, who had an influence on the composer. The dire circumstances of  SC-T’s estate partly led to the formation in 1914 of Britain’s Performing Right Society (PRS), which collects royalties for composers and music publishers.

The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session during which SC-T’s life as an African living in England at the turn of the 20^th century, a pan-Africanist, and his relationship with Du Bois, will be explored.

SC-T History Talk by Kwaku @ National Archives

BTWSC/BBM/BMC heralds African/black history month with this presentation. Thursday September 20 2012, 1-2.30pm at the National Archives, Kew (map). Booking and further details to be confirmed. Free, For more info: editor@BritishblackMusic.com.

BTWSC (UK) in association with WEB Du Bois Memorial Centre For Pan African Culture (GH), BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 100PM Collective
and H.E. Mr KB Asante cordially invite you

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Remembering Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
(15 Aug 1875 - 1 Sept 1912) - an African British musical genius

        An audio-visual presentation
    on African British history & music*

When: Thursday March 29 2012, 3-5pm

Where: WEB Du Bois Memorial Centre, Off First Circular Road, Cantonment, Accra (near the American Embassy)

Cost: Free

To RVSP, book or for more information: Awula Serwah, info@btwsc.com, 020 024 0338, www.btwsc.eventbrite.com

*UK-based music industry and history consultant Kwaku will lead a Powerpoint-assisted presentation on the life of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (SC-T), one of Britain’s favourite composers of the early 20^th century, and introduce some of his works, including ‘Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast’, which at one time vied with ‘Messiah’ and ‘Elijah’ as one of Britain’s most popular choral composition.

SC-T, born of Sierra Leonean/English parentage, was feted internationally. He made three successful tours in the US, where he became the first African to conduct an all European orchestra and was invited to meet President Theodore Roosevelt in the White House. SC-T was proud of his African roots, and tried incorporating African themes within classical music. He was a member of the African Association, which organised the 1900 Pan-African Conference in London, where SC-T met WEB Du Bois, who had an influence on the composer. The dire circumstances of  SC-T’s estate partly led to the formation in 1914 of Britain’s Performing Right Society (PRS), which collects royalties for composers and music publishers.

The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session during which SC-T’s life as an African living in England at the turn of the 20^th century, a pan-Africanist, and his relationship with Du Bois, will be explored.  The event will be introduced by WEB Du Bois Memorial Centre acting executive director Mr BS Ato Keelson, and the Q&A preceded by an introduction by SC-T fan H.E. Mr KB Asante.

BTWSC is a Brent-based, pan-London not-for-profit voluntary organisation. It uses the creative arts to develop the potential of youth and adults. It is also engaged in raising aspirations and promoting social inclusion. BTWSC's core projects are centred around music industry, event planning, and music technology courses; writing workshops and writing competitions; ceremonies recognising unsung people; and family and community cohesion projects. For more details: www.BTWSC.com  in association with:

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 100 PM Collective(SCT100PM Collective or just the Collective; ^Post Mortem) is a London, UK based initiative.  You can contact us viaeditor@BritishBlackmusic.com. The SCT10PM Collective is a BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress initiative, led by Kwaku, and supported by Kienda Hoji, Commercial Music BA director Kienda Hoji at University Of Westminster, plus various Collective members. For more details: http://www.sct100pmcollective.blogspot.com/p/about-uscontact.html

BritishBlackMusic.com (BBM) is an online resource providing information about music, music business, and music business education with a bias towards British and black music. Its off-line activities include cultural industries research, consultancy, music business courses, and it organises seminars, conferences, and the Black Music Congress (BMC) debates. For more details: http://www.britishblackmusic.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&Itemid=36

W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture is a national historic monument of Ghana, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture.

Remembering Samuel Coleridge-Taylor  (15 Aug 1875 - 1 Sept 1912) - an African British musical genius
History consultant Kwaku leads on an audio-visual presentation on the life and work of the composer and pan-Africanist for students and staff on behalf of BTWSC/SCT100PM Collective
Claremont High School, Kenton, Middx
Thursday February 23 2012.