Strathmore's Discover Ellington Festival: February 3 - 20, 2012
Posted in: Arts and Culture, Fairs and Festivals, Museums and Exhibits, Upcoming Events
Though he is one of America’s most legendary composers, the incomparable Edward “Duke” Ellington has retained a mystique that has musicologists filling gaps in his history more than a quarter century after his death. Strathmore’s Discover Ellington festival, from February 3rd - 20th, 2012, will examine Ellington’s contributions to American music by tracing the unparalleled composer’s dynamic career from its beginnings in Washington, D.C. to the speakeasies of Harlem and the world’s finest concert halls. Strathmore will accomplish this through performances of hallmark Ellington compositions and seminal works, as well as lectures with experts.
The Duke Ellington Collection includes about 100,000 pages of unpublished music that Ellington collaborator Billy Strayhorn co-composed for the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and another 100,000 pages of documents. The collection also includes 500 artifacts, such as awards, trophies, medals, items of clothing, and a set of Ellington band music stands. From the time of Ellington's death in 1974 until the Smithsonian acquired it, the collection was held in a warehouse, inaccessible to musicians, scholars, students, journalists or documentarians.
A composer, pianist, orchestrator and bandleader, Ellington wrote more than 1,500 compositions and made over 10,000 sound recordings during his career, becoming one of America’s most iconic composers. He led his legendary big band for more than 50 years and became synonymous with elevating the perception of jazz music. Though inseparably associated with the jazz genre, Ellington bristled at the connection, dubbing his work “American Music,” as it embraced a wide spectrum of influences, including gospel, swing, blues and classical. These are reflected in his repertoire, which expresses Ellington’s versatility with stage musicals, film scores and original compositions ranging from three minute masterpieces to his beloved Sacred Concerts.
The festival is a central part of Strathmore’s year-long Celebrating American Composers series, a sweeping exploration of the dynamic talents and innovations that have shaped American music and its diverse genres. For more information, visit: www.allthingsmusical.com/public/Strathmore_Invites_Crowds_to_Discover_Ellington.cfm
