Piano Lab

This week for Black History Month, we’re shining the spotlight on Florence Price, a talented classical pianist and composer. She composed over 300 pieces, including symphonies, concertos, choral works, art songs, chamber music, and pieces for solo instruments.

Florence began her career as the head of the music department at what is now Clark Atlanta University. In 1927, seeking to escape the Jim Crow laws in the South, she moved north to Chicago and started creating her own compositions. She was part of the Chicago Black Renaissance, a vibrant cultural movement that emerged from the South Side of Chicago in the 30s and 40s. Florence was nationally recognized and praised for how she beautifully blended African American culture into her music. Her work, like her Symphony in E minor, broke racial barriers and carved the pathway for other African American composers.

This year on January 31st, the Minnesota Opera premiered "My Name is Florence," an opera celebrating her life and legacy. Florence Price truly was a remarkable and resilient woman.