George Walker was the first Black student to receive the Artist Diploma in both piano and composition from the Curtis Institute of Music in 1945.
Album & Artwork
The National Symphony Orchestra launched its media label in 2020, with its first release being Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 and Copland's Billy the Kid.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded live on May 12 and 13, 2023, in the Concert Hall of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Composer Biography
George Walker holds the distinction of being the first Black composer to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in April 1996, for his composition Lilacs for Voice and Orchestra.
Performer Biography
Gianandrea Noseda, the conductor on this album, has served as Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra since 2017.
Composer Biography
George Walker, a native of Washington, D.C., was a child prodigy who enrolled in Oberlin Conservatory at age 14 and received his Bachelor of Music degree at 18.
Composer Biography
George Walker was the first Black instrumentalist to play a recital in New York's Town Hall and the first Black soloist to perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy.
