Join us in a virtual conversation with acc omplished musicians Nevilla Ottley\, founder of the Ottley School of Music \, Alexander Strachan\, Lelia-Michelle Walker\, George Shirley\, Operatic Tenor and University of Michigan Professor Emeritus\, and Terri Allen\, Ex ecutive Director of CAAPA in which we will discuss their own journeys as m usicians\, the state of classical music in the region and the world\, and Black musicians&rsquo\; deep contributions to classical music.
\n\n\n< p>\nNevilla E. Ottley \;is the founder of the Ottley Music School (OMS)\, established in 1973\, eighteen months after sh e graduated with her Master of Arts in organ performance and music history from Andrews University in Michigan\, where she had earned her Bachelor o f Music in music education and piano performance. She came to Maryland aft er spending time in New York (accompanying the fledgling Boys Choir of Har lem) and New Jersey (teaching piano and organ at Garden State Academy) whe re she accompanied the now internationally known bass-baritone\, Wintley P hipps\, at age 17 at the beginning of his career.
\nThe Ottley Music Studio existed at first out of her home in Maryland\, while she taught pi ano and theory\, and later added other piano teachers\, violin\, voice and clarinet teachers. Now it is a 501(c)(3) non-profit school which is 50 ye ars old on January 17\, 2023 with a dozen teachers. \; She adds into t he curricula for all her students (from the preschoolers to adults)\, info rmation about the classical music of Black composers from the Renaissance through the present day\, which is not usually taught to children\, teens\ , nor even college students. She makes sure her OMS students perform this music as well as that of the well-known masters.
\nThis is as a resu lt of a class she took at the Catholic University of America taught by Dr. Evelyn Davidson White of Howard University on &ldquo\;Choral Music of Bla ck Composers&rdquo\;\, as well as information from professors Dr. Laura Je anette Wells of CUA and Dr. Virginia Gene Rittenhouse of Washington Advent ist University in Takoma Park\, MD. \; \; Ottley produced and host ed &ldquo\;Classics of Ebony&rdquo\; a one-hour weekly show on WGTS 91.9 f m from 1976-1997 on classical music composed by Black composers\, and also music performed by Black artists in the classical styles.
\nOttley with a friend\, Dr. Ellen Bunyan\, founded the Takoma Park Symphony (1987- 1995) which also performed the music of Black composers\, and was part of the Washington Post&rsquo\;s &ldquo\;Critics Pick&rdquo\; in February\, 19 90. &ldquo\;Takoma Park Symphony Orchestra\, presenting orchestral music o f black composers\, Sunday afternoon in the Takoma Park Seventh-Day Advent ist Church.&rdquo\;
\nOttley has also done seminars at various unive rsities on the topic\, Oakwood (Huntsville\, AL)\, Columbia Union College& mdash\;now renamed as Washington Adventist University (Takoma Park\, MD)\, those back in the 1990s. \; She also presented seminar on orchestral music of Black Composers at the University of Nairobi to 26 conductors\, a nd one on choral music of Black composers at Central Nairobi Seventh-day A dventist Church in Kenya back in 2006. \; She taught a weekly zoom cla ss for the Encore Creativity University (choral) on Black composers in 202 1 with 85 students. \;
\nOttley is the author of several books o n Black composers and performers and one co-authored by Mayme Wilkins Holt on her son\, baritone opera singer\, Ben Holt. \;Still&rsquo\;s Life in Pictures \;was written for the Centennial Celebration of William Gr ant Still she instigated in May 1995 in the Washington D.C. area. She has the outline of at least 6 more books on various aspects of this subject of Black Composers and Performers of Classical Music. Here are pictures of t he books already released.
\nOfficer Alexander Strachan \;strives to continue healing people of all walks of life through his violin playing while serving as a police officer. He is a long-time B owie resident and performer in nursing homes\, Hospice\, Jails\, and Schoo ls. Officer Strachan currently patrols in District V in Clinton\, Maryland . He still takes violin lessons from Holly Hamilton of the National Sympho ny Orchestra.
\nLelia-Michelle Walker \;attende d The Catholic University of America to pursue her bachelor's in Viola Per formance and Pedagogy. She took a leave of absence to pursue music profess ionally and attend music tours outside of the country for work-study. She has played at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center with the New England Sympho nic Ensemble while maintaining regular performances at the Kennedy Center and Strathmore in the Washington DC Area. She recently opened up the DC Ja zz fest playing newly featured and composed pieces from acclaimed composer Miho Hazama in a full jazz band. Ms. Walker has performed with John Rutte r\, Adam Blackstone\, Tye Tribbett\, Jennifer Hudson\, Jennifer Holiday\, Eminem\, and other notaries in the music world. While her instruction has been in classical music\, her interests have varied as of late. She has go ne on to perform gospel\, jazz\, and classical cross-over. Her performance tours have included South Africa\, Zimbabwe\, Austria\, Graz\, Brussels\, \;Belgium\, Paris\, Salzburg\, Mexico\, Scotland\, England\, Califor nia\, Canada\, Luxemburg\, Frankfurt\, Thailand\, New England\, and Greece in that order. She credits her musical upbringing to her teachers and men tors\, including Dr. Virginia Gene-Rittenhouse of the New England Symphoni c Ensemble and Tsuna Sakamoto of The National Symphony Orchestra.
\nAfter returning from her tour assignments\, Ms. Walker began her studies i n Entertainment Law at The Howard University and continued in her Legal st udies instruction at The University of Maryland University College. Her co ncentration of study is contract Law\, IP\, and Mass Media Law. She has su pported herself by continuing to perform and arrange music in her free tim e. Her performances to date include the Grammy's\, MTV Video Music awards with \;Panic At The Disco and Shawn Mendes\, American Music Awards wi th Camilla Cabello\, The Oscars\, Robert Glasper and &ldquo\;The Black Rad io Orchestra&rdquo\; and \;NPR Tiny Desk\, where she arranged and per formed as a string backup for Mac Miller. \; She has also provided leg al administrative support to several teams in the Washington DC area. Her involvement with the Media as it involves performing and contracting has g arnered her the experience that she hopes to put to good use in a career a s a future entertainment lawyer. She currently works as a contracts specia list and PR Representative for an Entertainment Lawyer in the Atlanta area on the weekends (virtually) \;and is an active Production Manager in the DC\, New York and LA markets. \; Ms. Walker holds the WEB DuBois awards for academic excellence\, is the winner of the NAACP Act-So competi tion and The Washington Performing Arts Society \;Feder String Compet ition. On top of her high marks academically\, she received full rides for her education at The Catholic University of America and The Howard Univer sity. Her passion is mission work and equity in not only the performing ar ts but in all work environments. \;
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