EDUCATING IS ACTIVISM:
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DGF is focused on the intersection of social justice, American history, and the arts. Deeply inspired by the achievements of America’s hidden musical figures, the foundation is invested in doing research and educating the public about their remarkable stories of courage and persistence. From enriching our musical heritage to preparing the diverse pool of tomorrow’s vocal stars, DGF will positively impact how artists are valued in this nation, encouraging inclusive opportunity, access, and advocacy for the next generation.
OUR PURPOSE AND VISION
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NOVEMBER 17, 2024
3:00 PM EST
Asbury United Methodist Church
"Voices of our Time" Concert
Annapolis Opera presents a program of inspiring performances and interpretations featuring The Denyce Graves Foundation’s "Shared Voices," an unprecedented collaboration between HBCUs and top schools of music in the United States. This collaboration is a testament to the power of partnership in creating meaningful opportunities in the arts.
DECEMBER 13 7:00PM
Boordy Vineyards
DECEMBER 15 3:00PM
St. Mark's Lutheran Church
Sounds of the Season
Maryland Opera celebrates the holidays with Sounds of the Season featuring stellar young artists performing operatic and holiday favorites. Featuring baritone, Marvin Wayne, Artistic Ambassador of
The Denyce Graves Foundation.
EVENTS
HIDDEN VOICES SPOTLIGHT
Nora Holt
Nora Holt was a writer, pianist/singer, composer, socialite, and noted music critic through the 1920s-1960s. Born in Kansas City, Kansas, she moved to Chicago after having graduated as valedictorian of her class at Western University in Quindaro, Kansas (around 1915). She was the first African American woman to earn a Master of Music degree (Chicago Musical College, 1918). She was a co-founder of the National Association of Negro Musicians (1919) and became the music critic for the Chicago Defender (1917-1921). She left the paper after marrying and traveled extensively in Europe and Asia, reportedly often performing as a cabaret singer. She also composed during that time. She is thought to have written more than 200 compositions, but most were lost when her stored possessions were looted and scattered during her travels. She returned to New York City and became the classical music critic for the New York Amsterdam News (1943-1964).
Ms. Holt was an important observer of the Black classical concert scene. She reported on events and issues that would have been completely erased from the narrative without her reporting, and as a commentator she offered critical analyses of the performers and composers active in the United States. She did not hesitate to offer opinions on the artists and their activities, both supportive and critical, and hers was an important voice in promoting concert music during this time. She was a confident of Carl Van Vechten, both working to document the Black performers and ensembles active particularly in the New York area.
In addition to her written works, she hosted “Nora Holt’s Concert Showcase WLIB” (1953-1964), providing an important radio forum for the works of Black Composers.
She was a member of the Music Critics Circle of New York.
OUR STORY
DGF is rooted in the belief that now is the time to increase our nation’s commitment to its artists, both past and present—for America’s future and for the whole world. In paying homage to the achievements of so many who have gone before while serving the real needs of today’s emerging artist singers, The Denyce Graves Foundation is giving back and paying it forward at the same time.
OUR MUSIC CONSERVATORY PARTNERS
The Denyce Graves Foundation is proud to partner with the following Music Conservatories for the 2022 - 2023 Shared Voices program. Click on each institution's logo to learn more.
1050 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste. 500
Washington, DC 20035
1325 Avenue of the Americas, 28th Floor
NYC, NY 10019
917-821-3437
Our Federal tax ID is 86-2276658.
The Denyce Graves Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.
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IN THE NEWS
The Denyce Graves Foundation Appoints New Music Director
DGF has now appointed the French conductor Pierre Vallet as its new Music Director. A graduate of L’Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, Vallet is also a pianist, lecturer, and guest teacher at world-leading institutions, plus has guest conducted at many opera houses worldwide.
Denyce Graves on THE PASSION OF MARY CARDWELL DAWSON at North Carolina Opera
Broadway World speaks with Denyce Graves about THE PASSION OF MARY CARDWELL DAWSON at North Carolina Opera in December of 2024.
NPR Music: Opera star Denyce Graves’ global compassion in red, white and blue
Lara Downs interviews Founder and Artistic Director, Denyce Graves in her NPR Classical California segment "AMPLIFY." It was from one of her students that she first heard about Mary Cardwell Dawson, fostering the careers of hundreds of young Black singers during an era of institutional racism and segregation. She spearheaded fundraising efforts to restore Dawson’s historic building and collaborated with the Glimmerglass Festival to produce and premiere a new musical play called The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson. That’s just one example of the passion-into-action that drives Denyce and her Foundation.
OUR HBCU PARTNERS
The Denyce Graves Foundation is proud to partner with the following Historically Black Colleges and Universities for the 2022 - 2023 Shared Voices program. Click on each institution's logo to learn more.