Julietta Curenton's "FOLK" recording project

" ALL music is folk music. You ain't never heard no horse sing a song, have you?"

                                                        ~  Louis Armstong ~

Traditional folk music is music of the common people. It bonds cultures together and tells their stories in their own language. This project will be a celebration of many Folk coming together - a valuable idea during these turbulent and racially divided times. I have entitled it "Folk" as it will include a combination of American folk music I have either commissioned or accumulated over the past seven years.

I also seek to broaden our understanding of classical music. Throughout history, classical composers have written from their own experiences bringing in elements from their own cultural backgrounds. Take Dmitri Shostakovich. The influences of the Russian church and folk music is inherent in his choral writing. His music was also politically charged. An example is in his Symphony no. 7 which was dedicated to the 25 million Soviet citizens who died in World War II. Bela Bartok was another great example.  He was a hungarian born pianist turned ethno-musicologist who brought music from his culture to the classical stage. Both composers are considered to be giants in the classical music world today!

Photo: From left to right: Evelyn Simpson-Curenton, pianist,  Marietta Simpson, mezzo-soprano,  Julietta Curenton, flute. 

Photographer: Joseph Simpson

I have a keen interest in highlighting music written by African-American composers who write about African-American culture. These important yet sometimes overlooked composers fill a gap in classical music that has been left open for centuries. Though I am still very invested in this idea, I will expand my scope in this project. You will hear a variety of American folk music including gospel, spirituals, jazz and music from Appalachia.

The spiritual set (above video) is simply fabulous! Evelyn Simpson-Curenton is a spectacular composer who arranges with flair and historical integrity while bringing a sense of fun and lightness! Her musical voice  is refreshing and cannot be replaced. Movements include: Get on Board,  Calvary,  Lil' David. These spirituals were originally written and performed by the phenominal soprano, Kathleen Battle and my late aunt, Joy Simpson, a Naumburg Award winning soprano. This particular set was co-arranged by Evelyn Simpson-Curenton and Marietta Simpson.  Evelyn Simpson-Curenton's uplifting version of the black national anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing"  will also be featured on this album.

www.wqxr.org/story/folk-influences/

Check out the above link for a recording of guitarist, Jordan Dodson and I playing  four of Robert Beaser's Mountain Songs. [Begin recording at 20:00]

You will hear traces of country and bluegrass music  in these selected works. This piece is rapidly becoming a staple in the  flute and guitar repertoire for good reason.

        Photo: Robert Beaser, composer

Finally, I'm excited to record Feathers and Wax!  It was written by the extremely talented composer, Amanda Harberg and received its world premiere at my debut concert for the  Philadelphia Chamber Music Society.  Based on the ancient Greek story of Icarus and his wings made of feathers and wax, Feathers and Wax revels in the thrill of flight through Harberg's soaring and jazz-influenced music.

Photo: "Music in Montclair" series founded by Amanda Harberg (3rd from the right.) Picture includes Evelyn Simpson-Curenton, Daniel Dorff, Amanda Harberg, Eric Ewazen, Ayako Oshima and Julietta Curenton.

As you can see, we have quite the line-up! This project will include myself and 7 other musicians. All the funds will go towards the recording (engineering fees/site and production) and will be used to make this recording a reality. Please give! Your help is invaluable to making this dream of mine come to life! Thank you very much and God Bless!!

The Philadelphia Inquirer hails JULIETTA CURENTON as a flutist with a great artistic sense and "tone that glows more than it sparkles, drawing in one's ear with sounds and ideas that simply cannot be resisted." The American flutist performs and tours with the  Grammy award-winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. She has been a guest soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Temple University Orchestra, U.S. Army Orchestra - Pershing's Own and the Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra. 

Ms. Curenton's interests also cross into the Jazz and Gospel areans. She can be heard on the Smithsonian Folkways album, "Praise the Lord!" along with the Curenton family and on Miguel Zenon's Grammy nominated Jazz album, "Alma Adentro" - The Puerto Rican Songbook. She is deeply committed to bringing music education to inner city youth and has given hundreds of interactive concerts for Ensemble ACJW - a ground breaking education program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute. She is a recipient of the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia Career Advancement Award.