Over the course of time there have been many overlooked artists in classical music, because of their race and/or gender. It is important to acknowledge that we have not yet heard the whole story due to this sidelining of voices. Composers Joseph Boulogne Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, William Grant Still, Florence B. Price, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, and George Walker, have all contributed beautifully crafted works to the repertoire, but are not widely celebrated. Another contributing factor to this unfortunate reality is access to their manuscripts and recordings of their work which we believe would lead to greater awareness and programming of their incredible music.
UNCOVERED, conceived in 2018, is an ongoing performance and multi-volume anthology recorded on the Azica label. Volume 1 featured the music of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor with guest collaborators pianist Stewart Goodyear and clarinetist Anthony McGill, and was released to critical acclaim in February 2021. Volume 2, released in February 2022, is devoted to Florence B. Price—including four world premiere recordings—with pianist Michelle Cann. Volume 3, released in February 2023, features the music of George Walker, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, and William Grant Still, and was nominated for a Grammy Award and recognized as Album of the Year by Chamber Music America.
Volume 4 represents the culmination of this project and is devoted entirely to the complete string quartets of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges—the first complete collection of his string quartets. This final volume marks a significant artistic and historical milestone, bringing Saint-Georges more fully into today’s musical conversation.
Volume 4 will be released on May 29, with a first single available on May 8. We have successfully fundraised approximately 70% of the total project cost, and we are now working to close the remaining gap. Please see below for information on how to support this important project.
We would like to thank the foundations and individuals for their contributions to UNCOVERED Vol. 1, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.
Turrell Fund, Sphinx Organization, A. McClellan, Andres Cardenes, Andrew Grams, Angelica Maddock, Annaliese, Anne L. Taylor, Annie Fullard, An Terrail, Asher, Beth Boleyn, Brian Thorton, Caitlin Sullivan, Camille Cintron Devlin, Carlos Tome, Catherine Cosbey, Chris Whittaker, Coco Gonzalez, Colleen Wang, Curtis Stewart, Cynthia D. Jones, Daniel Koo, Danielle Belen, Danielle Rose, Daniel W Chandler, Douglas Cardwell, Ed Montgomery, Emily Kalish,Eugene Sor, Gayle Gonzalez, Geoffrey Reeves, George Trudeau, Gina Cuffari, Harold Arnold, Jacqueline Jove, James L. Wilson, James Wilson, Jannina Kara Norpoth, Jen Arnold, Jinjoo Cho, Jonathon Loy, Jordan Randall Smith, Julie Marx and, Karen Poleshuck.
The Catalyst Quartet is grateful to Irene R. Miller and Marcy Syms who along with the Virginia Arts Festival, are the sponsors of Volume 2 of the string quartets and piano quintets of Florence Price as part of the Uncovered Project anthology. [The recording will be made in the historic Attucks Hall in Norfolk, VA.] Irene and Marcy are long-standing friends, concert-going buddies and amateur musicians who have had successful careers in business, leadership roles in corporate governance and deep involvement in the philanthropic world, including music, education and social equality. They are delighted to support the Uncovered Project, which they believe is a compelling and scholarly addition to the anthology of works by historically important composers who have been overlooked because of their race and/or gender.
Volume 3 was made possible by a grant from Chamber Music America made possible by the Howard Gilman Foundation.
Volume 4 of UNCOVERED has been made possible in part by the Café Royal Artist Grant and the generosity of private donors. To date, we have raised approximately $30,000, and we are seeking an additional $20,000 to close the remaining gap and bring this project fully to completion.
If you would like to support this important work and help us reach the finish line, please consider making a tax-deductible donation by clicking the donation button below.