George Walker's Masterpiece, Lyric for Strings

Classical music — born of the European tradition — has long had a battle with equality and diversity. I recognize that, despite my love of the classical music industry, work remains to be done.

On February 27, 2021, I am thrilled to be performing Lyric for Strings by George Walker, whose works are among some of the greatest musical expressions. George Walker’s grandmother, Malvina King, had experienced a lot during her long life, including losing her first husband when he was sold as a slave. George Walker composed this work as part of his first string quartet, written as a 24-year-old Curtis Institute of Music student a year after the passing of his grandmother. When he heard the poetic slow movement performed by a string orchestra, he added the title Lament and dedicated it as an elegy “To my grandmother.” He later titled the work “Lyric for Strings” but always referred to it as “my grandmother’s piece.” It has become his most performed work.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1996, Mr. Walker was one of America’s most distinguished composers. Besides being the first Black man to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music, George Walker was the first African American to be a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra — performing Rachmaninoff’s notoriously difficult Third Piano Concerto, and was the first Black graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music in 1945. Walker died in 2018 at the age of 96.

I am looking forward to bringing George Walker’s music to our musical programming during our February virtual concert.