Orchestra, museum present sounds of black composers

By Craig Belcher

The Richmond Symphony’s Big Tent concert series comes to Abner Clay Park for the first time on May 27 at 7 p.m. The free event in the recently renovated park features the music of noted black composers such as, Florence Price, Joseph Bologne (the subject of the recent film “Chevalier”), and Virginia resident Adolphus Hailstork.

“We felt like it was a perfect place to do it,” said Matt Wilshire, the Richmond Symphony’s director of artistic planning and orchestra operations, who learned about the park’s history on a recent walking tour of the area.

The concert, conducted by Chia-Hsuan Lin, also features soloists Katerina Burton, a Maryland resident, and Isaac Willson, a violinist in the symphony’s youth orchestra.

The event is a product of partnership between the the symphony and the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia.

It is in conjunction with the Children’s Book & Music Festival hosted at the museum. The festival, which began earlier this month, connected