Hosted by the San Francisco Symphony’s Resident Conductor of Engagement and Education Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, this 60-minute video explores the lives and achievements of three legendary African-American composers who made significant contributions to America’s musical landscape—both as musicians and as people. This presentation also includes performances by SF Symphony musicians and is accompanied by supplementary guides for classroom discussion and further exploration. 

The video and supplementary content are geared to middle school / junior high / high school /college level students in general classroom settings, instrumental music programs, and music appreciation courses. The video is formatted into three chapters for modular use: 

(Introduction) 

00:49 – 17:28 William Grant Still (1895-1978) 

17:30 – 39:14 Florence Price (1887-1953) 

39:16 – 55:06 George Walker (1922-2018)