Join us for a beautiful afternoon of music with bass baritone Ivan Griffin, pianist Wilfred Delphin, and special guest narrator Michael Boucree for Songs of a People featuring musical works by R. Nathaniel Dett, Maria Thompson Corley, Moses Hogan, as well as the poetry of Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes.
Ticket purchases include the hour-long concert and light champagne reception following.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
American bass-baritone Ivan Griffin has delighted audiences around the world with appearances in both concert and opera. The Eastman School of Music and Southern University graduate has performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Riverside Church, New York. He has also appeared with Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México, Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería, Rochester Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic, Savannah Symphony, and Toledo Symphony under notable conductors Carlos Miguel Prieto, Enrique Diemecke, Chelsea Tipton II, Isaiah Jackson, and David Danzmeyer. He is also a frequent collaborator with renowned pianist Wilfred Delphin, formerly of Delphin and Romain Piano Duo, in Songs of a People: Music and Poetry of the African-American Experience. READ MORE.
Dr. Wilfred Delphin, one half of the internationally renowned piano duo Delphin and Romaine, debuted in 1977 at Carnegie Hall with Edwin Romaine. The two of them toured the United States, South America, Europe and Asia. After Romain passed in 1995, Delphin continued performing and teaching. After retiring from the Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) School of Music in 2004, he volunteered with the United States Peace Corps for several months in the West African country of Senegal, leaving that country for New Orleans to help with the recovery effort after Hurricane Katrina. He then served as a faculty member and artist-in-residence in the Department of Music at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, where he also is an alumnus, until his retirement in 2019. Founding and Principle Pianist of Opera Creole, Wilfred was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tribute to Classical Arts Awards and a Recognition Award from the Louisiana Creole Research Association for his contribution to the Arts and greater good of the community.
This concert is presented with support from the Historic Beauregard-Keyes House and Gardens, WWNO 89.9 and Classical 104.9 FM, Hall Piano Company | the Steinway Gallery of New Orleans, Steinway & Sons, and Richard Goula | The Thistlewood Foundation.