Florence Beatrice Price (1887-1953) was a distinguished American composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher who made considerable contributions to classical music in the early 20th century. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, to a racially mixed heritage, she showcased prodigious musical talent from a young age. Price graduated as valedictorian of her high school class and pursued further musical education at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, one of the few institutions that accepted African American students at the time. She earned a double major in organ and piano performance, and eventually settled in Chicago after facing mounting racial tensions in the South.

In Chicago, Price flourished in a more supportive environment for African American artists, and she soon emerged as a prominent composer within the city's classical music scene. Facing the dual challenges of racism and sexism in a predominantly white and male industry, she succeeded in gaining recognition for her work, making historical strides when her Symphony No. 1 in E Minor won the Rodman Wanamaker Competition in 1932. This distinction led to the symphony’s premiere by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, marking her as the first African American woman to have a composition played by a major orchestra. Her catalog, blending classical forms with African American spirituals and folk melodies, includes four symphonies, concertos, choral works, songs, and chamber music. Despite her significant achievements during her lifetime, her music fell into relative obscurity after her death. Recently, however, due to the recognition of her importance in American musical history, there has been a resurgence of interest in her works, leading to new recordings and performances of her compositions, like "Symphony No. 4" and her "Violin Concertos." Price's legacy is one of resilience and innovation, and her music continues to gain the acknowledgment and esteem it deserves.

Genres

African-american Classical

American Modern Classical

American Romanticism

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Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Desmond Neysmith

Hannah Roberts

George Walker

Jeneba Kanneh-Mason

Yannick Nézet-Séguin

William Grant Still

Andrew Wan

Tasmin Little

Denis Kozhukhin

Daniel Harding

Joseph Boulogne Chevalier de Saint-Georges

Latest Release

Clouds

Florence Beatrice Price•

Beatrice Nicholas

Single - Released July 19, 2024