Suzuki School of Newton, Project STEP, and Daniel Bernard Roumain will present a K-12 performance of an original composition on the theme of diversity in classical music. This performance highlights the voices and stories of our own community, continuing the work of making classical music a bridge towards equity. The performance will be followed by an open community dialogue led by Daniel Bernard Roumain and the Directors of Suzuki School of Newton and Project STEP to help us chart a path forward. The performance and community dialogue are free and open to the public.
Our workshop presenter, Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), is a Black, Haitian-American composer who sees composing as collaboration with artists, organizations and communities within the farming and framing of ideas. He is a prolific and endlessly collaborative composer, performer, educator, and social entrepreneur. DBR has worked with artists from J’Nai Bridges, Lady Gaga and Philip Glass to Bill T. Jones, Marin Alsop and Anna Deavere Smith. Known for his signature violin sounds infused with myriad electronic and African-American music influences, DBR takes his genre-bending music beyond the proscenium. He is a composer of solo, chamber, orchestral, and operatic works, and has composed an array of film, theater, and dance scores.
Since 1982, Project STEP (String Training Education Program) has provided talented young musicians that identify with historically underrepresented groups in classical music with comprehensive music instruction. Project STEP recognizes that certain racial and ethnic minorities are vastly underrepresented in classical music. Their mission is to address this imbalance by identifying musically talented underrepresented students from Boston and surrounding communities, providing them with comprehensive music and string instrument instruction. They set the highest standards for disciplined study and performance and offer a platform for students interested in pursuing classical music careers as well as other courses of study.
The mission of the Suzuki School of Newton is to instill a love and respect for music and learning in students of all ages through musical instrument instruction and preschool education using the philosophy of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki. We promote intellectual, cultural and character development, foster a spirit of excellence and empathy, and enrich the community. The Suzuki School of Newton envisions a world with creative and caring citizens who engage in the global community through beautiful music.
