Read / MSO's Favorite Motown Stars!

Read / MSO’s Favorite Motown Stars!

Motown, a term derived from Detroit’s nickname, “Motor City”, started as a record label founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in the late 1950s. The label was instrumental in integrating Black musicians and artists into popular music during the 1960s and 1970s. Motown music became its own genre, blending soul and pop together into one. Berry Gordy was directly involved in auditions for the label – often scouting key talent himself in clubs, or sitting in on auditions. For this year’s Picnic at the Pops, we wanted to highlight some of our favorite Motown artists and their hits that you’ll be able to hear live performed by the Modesto Symphony Orchestra!

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Stevie wonder

Stevie Wonder circa 1973

Stevland Hardaway Morris, better known as his stage alias, Stevie Wonder, is one of the best selling and awarded musicians of all time. Signed to the Motown label at only 11 years old, he was quickly taken under Berry Gordy’s wing. His single Fingertips, released when he was 13, rocketed to the number 1 spot of the Billboard charts, making him the youngest solo artist to receive the number 1! Even if you aren’t an active Motown fan, there’s no doubt that you’ve heard a tune from this legendary artist before. Not only a talented artist, Wonder is a dedicated activist, known for his campaign in the 80s to make MLK Jr’s birthday a federal holiday.

At this year’s Picnic at the Pops, we’ll be performing Superstition, which is probably one of Wonder’s most iconic songs. Even just saying the name probably has you humming the beat and thinking of Wonder’s vocals. Superstition was a number 1 Billboard single, earned Wonder two Grammys, and is #12 on Rolling Stones’ Top 500 songs of all time.

Diana ross

Diana Ross circa 1976

Diana Ross started as an aspiring fashion designer, believe it or not. At age 14, she enrolled in Cass Tech High School, taking classes in design, pattern making, and tailoring. When she turned 15, she took a “side gig” as the lead singer of the Primettes (sister group to the Primes). After receiving success at smaller gigs and sock hops, she approached her old neighbor, William “Smokey” Robinson about auditioning for Motown. Gordy was enchanted by her singing, but after hearing how young the group was, he opted to advise them to finish their education. After being signed on in 1961, Ross’s rise to stardom was just beginning. Her solo career launched in 1970, and she quickly found success in music and film. Her stellar singing and unmatched charisma could not be denied.

One of our favorite Diana Ross songs is Touch Me in the Morning. It hit No.1 on the Billboard 100 chart, and remained on that chart for a consecutive 21 weeks! It came out shortly after her Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in Lady Sings the Blues, and it completely reinvigorated her singing career. No one can deny the power of Ross’s vocals, and they truly shine in this classic.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye circa 1973

Marvin Gaye was a critical part of shaping Motown’s sound in the early 1960s, earning him the nicknames ‘Prince of Motown’ & ‘Prince of Soul’. He’d become known for his success as a solo act, and for his influence on several R&B genres. After a few failed attempts at charting with other groups, Marvin would catch the attention of Berry Gordy when performing at his home for a Christmas party. Gordy was immediately impressed with Marvin, and negotiated him out of his previous contract, to sign on with Motown. Marvin would go on to record many beloved duets with some of Motown’s most iconic female singers, including Diana Ross, Tammi Terrell, and Kim Weston. In the 1970s, he would record two albums, marking him as one of the earliest artists in Motown to produce independently. With his numerous awards and high ranking on Rolling Stones listings and how critical his music is to pop culture, it is without question, that Marvin Gaye is one of the most influential soul artists of all time.

How Sweet It Is is one of Gaye’s most iconic songs from his Motown days. By January 1965, just 4 months after the singles released, it had sold nearly a million copies, making it his most successful single at that point in his career. And it is no question why – his velvet-quality vocals and the piano riff, matched with the rhythmic tambourine make the perfect recipe for a perfect feel-good classic.

Lionel richie

Lionel Ritchie circa 1984

Lionel Richie kicked off his music career in 1968, after deciding to abandon becoming a priest, as he felt he wasn’t exactly “priest material”. Despite not even knowing how to read or write music, he joined the Motown group “Commadores” as a co-lead singer. While originally the group was meant as a support act to the Jackson 5, they quickly stood out on their own, with a combination of funky tunes for dance like Brick House, and Richie’s romantic ballads, such as Still.  1981 marks Richie’s start of his successful solo career, with his duet Endless Love with Diana Ross, which topped international charts. Over the course of his career, he’s sold over 100 million records worldwide, earned four Grammys, an Academy Award and Golden Globe for his song Say You, Say Me, and Congress recognition, making him one of the most successful music artists of all time.

It's really no wonder that All Night Long is such a classic Richie hit. It is the embodiment of “forget your troubles and woes, and just dance the night away!” Richie’s smooth vocals flow effortlessly with the beat of the song, while the music is full of boundless energy that just makes you want to get up and groove!

Martha Reeves

Martha Reeves circa 1974

Martha Reeves, lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas, should be praised for her passion for performance. At the age of 19, she was working multiple day jobs, and singing in jazz clubs. While performing one evening, she was scouted by a Motown executive, who invited her to an audition the very next day. Her unique gospel-trained vocals launched the group to quick distinction from other Motown girl groups, producing hit singles such as Heat Wave, Quicksand, and their most popular Dancing in the Street. Martha’s vocal talent, hardworking attitude, and her commitment to improving conditions for musicians in the industry by speaking to Congress in 2007 to increase royalties for artists – she truly is a pinnacle of Motown.

Dancing in the Street is Martha and the Vandellas most popular single, and just listening to it, it’s clear why. The jazzy high energy music, and Martha’s powerful voice rings out, just making you want to get up and dance. It has been the subject of many covers, although there is no denying the original!

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Come listen to these Motown hits and many more performed at Picnic at the Pops! this September 7th at the GALLO Grounds!

Read / Harmony and Pride: Celebrating LGBT+ Composers

Harmony and Pride: Celebrating LGBT+ Composers

Music has always been a powerful medium for expression and connection, and LGBT+ composers have made remarkable contributions to its vibrant landscape. Their stories resonate through their music, celebrating both individuality and the shared human experience. This Pride Month, we’re celebrating the lives and legacies of LGBT+ composers: their extraordinary talents and their impact on the world of classical music.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

1. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

One of the most well-known composers in classical music, Tchaikovsky left a legacy with works such as Swan Lake, the 1812 Overture, and his Piano Concerto No. 1, which the Modesto Symphony featured during their season opening concert in October 2023. Due to his international acclaim, the Soviet Union made great efforts to censor any mention or reference of Tchaikovsky being anything but heterosexual. However, many biographers do agree that he was gay, citing his long-term connections with men in his social circles, and the fact that he was a bachelor for most of his life, except for a short-lived, failed marriage to Antonina Miliukova.

Francis Poulenc

2. Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)

Francis Poulenc was a French composer and pianist, with a wide catalog of compositions, including piano works, operas, ballets, choral pieces, and orchestral concert music. He was one of the first openly gay composers, having a serious relationship with painter Richard Chanlaire. He was known as a very light-hearted individual within musician circles, which likely contributed to his more sincere & religious works being overshadowed. He was highly celebrated and in 1945, was commissioned by the London Philharmonic by the French government to perform his defiant compositions and works against Nazi rule.

Dame Ethel Smyth

3. Dame Ethel Smyth (1858-1944)

Ethel Smyth was an English composer, and a prominent member of the women’s suffrage movement. As a child prodigy, Ethel studied composition with other well-known Romantic Era composers, including Tchaikovsky, Grieg, and Dvořák. Her compositions were frequently criticized, being labeled as “too masculine” for a female composer. In 1910, she became involved with women’s suffrage and developed a close relationship with leadership. She was inspired to compose her most well-known work, “The March of the Women”, which then became the anthem for the Women’s Social and Political Union and suffragettes. Most of her lovers were women, and on her sexuality, she said that it was “so much easier to love her own sex.”

Samuel Barber and Gian Carlo Menotti

4. Samuel Barber (1910-1981)

Samuel Barber was a highly celebrated American composer, who made little effort to keep his sexuality a close secret. His life partner was opera composer Gian Carlo Menotti, who he met in 1928 while attending the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. The two stayed together for 40 years, supporting each other’s careers—Barber received two Pulitzer Prizes, and Menotti completed 15 operas—while the two were together.
The Modesto Symphony Orchestra, featuring violinist Simone Porter, performed Barber’s romantic Violin Concerto in February 2023.

5. Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687)

Jean-Baptiste Lully

Considered a top figure of the French Baroque style, little is known about Jean-Baptiste’s education and early life, although, accounts say that he was employed by a duke of Guise in 1647 to entertain his niece. It was during his time that he honed his skills in instruments and dance. By 1653, Jean-Baptiste caught the attention of King Louis XIV, who made him the royal composer for instrumental music, and would eventually rise to become the superintendent of the royal music and music master of the royal family in 1661. However, his talent and charisma would not prevent Louis XIV’s anger for Jean-Baptiste’s reputation of love affairs with many men and women in the court.

Leonard Bernstein

6. Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)

Leonard Bernstein was one of the most important conductors and composers in American classical music history, and possibly classical music as a whole. His repertoire is widely celebrated, including the Broadway hit West Side Story—which the MSO performed an arrangement of during their That’s Entertainment! concert in March 2020, his Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, and Slava! A Political Overture, among countless others. He is also widely known for his humanitarian efforts in the civil rights movement, anti-Vietnam war efforts, and his advocacy for AIDS research. One of his most famous humanitarian performances was when he conducted Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall. He was married to actress Felicia Cohn, which was a reality for many gay men, to maintain a good public standing. Felicia was understanding of his sexuality, writing to him, “…If your peace of mind, your health, your whole nervous system depend on a certain sexual pattern what can you do?”

To learn more about Pride and how composers intersect, we encourage you to read more at the sources below!

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Sources:

• https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/great-classical-composers-who-were-gay/

•  https://www.ethelsmyth.org/about/biography/

• https://www.spectrumensemble.org/samuel-barber.html

•  https://www.classicfm.com/composers/bernstein-l/leonard-biography-compositions-family-wife/

Read / 6 Black Artists Who Changed Classical Music

6 Black Artists Who Changed Classical Music

There is a large catalog of talented Black artists who have left lasting impacts on the world of classical music but are overlooked because of their race. We have composed a list of 6 Black Composers and Musicians who influenced and helped shape the orchestral world. Which Black artist would you like to hear their music being performed live today?

Florence Price

1. Florence Price, composer (1887-1953)

Florence Price was born to a music teacher mother, who instilled a love of music in Florence from an early age. At the age of 4, she had her first piano performance, and at 11, her first composition was published. Unsurprisingly, she graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Boston with honors, receiving a teaching certificate and an artist diploma in organ. As a teacher, she influenced many upcoming Black musicians and composers, and received the honor of being the first Black woman to have her composition played by a major U.S orchestra, with Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing her Symphony No. 1 in 1933. The Modesto Symphony Orchestra had the honor of performing her Concert Overture No. 2 in October 2022 and Symphony No. 3 in May 2023.

William L. Dawson

2. William L. Dawson, composer
(1899-1990)

Dawson was a skilled trombonist as a child, and ran away from home as a teenager to pursue a career in music at Tuskgee Institute (now know as Tuskgee University). After graduating with honors, he would go on to receive a master's in composition from the American Conservatory of Music. He would start his career by teaching at Tuskgee, and directing the 100-member choir, recognized internationally and sponsored by the White House. Last February 2024, the Modesto Symphony Orchestra performed his most famous composition: Negro Folk Symphony. It premiered in 1934 by the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, and masterfully showed the evolution of American Classical music by incorporating elements of Black culture, blending them masterfully with classical forms.

Chevalier de Saint-Georges

3. Joseph Bologne - Chevalier de Saint-Georges, composer (1745-1799)

Not much is known about the Chevalier’s early music education, other than at the age of 7, he was sent to Paris for his musical studies. He would debut as a solo violinist in one of  Europe’s most renowned orchestras, Le Concert des Amateurs, playing two of his own violin concertos. He was appointed the next conductor of the orchestra, only furthering its renown and reputation across the globe. An accomplished composition writer, performer, fencer, and socialite, it is no surprise that president John Adams is quoted in saying “he is the most accomplished man in Europe”.
The 2022 biographical drama film, Chevalier, is based on his legendary life.

George Walker

4. George Walker, composer, organist and pianist (1922-2018)

George Walker has the distinction of being the first Black composer to receive a Pulitzer Prize in Music for his work, Lilacs in 1996. During his education at Curtis Institute of Music, he studied under many great classical performers and teachers, including Rudolf Serkin, Gregor Piatigorsky, and William Primrose. Perhaps this period, including his own experiences growing up around jazz, contributed to his unique composition style, where he did not tie himself down to one label or genre. Over his lifetime, he composed well over 90 different works, and received commission requests from the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, and Philadelphia Orchestra, among many others.

Marian Anderson

5. Marian Anderson, contralto (1897-1993)

Marian Anderson was an important figurehead not only in the opera community, but the civil rights movement in its entirety. Not to be discouraged by the roadblocks that would try and prevent her from a career in singing, she received her first spotlight in a singing competition with the New York Philharmonic at the age of 25, which propelled her onto singing tours across Europe and the United States. After initially being denied to sing at a concert in Washington D.C in 1939, by the Daughters of the American Revolution, Anderson was put into the international spotlight, which was not the norm for a female Black musician. After receiving presidential support from Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor, Anderson would perform an open-air concert on Easter Sunday, 1939 to an integrated crowd of 75,000 people, and a radio audience of millions.

Marian was invited by the MSO in 1956 to perform a recital at the historic Strand Theater (where Brenden Theaters now resides in Downtown Modesto). The audience was at full capacity and according to Pat Morrison of the Modesto Bee, “Her direct and reverent style, deep in feeling and calm in confidence lends a spiritual tone to her voice. To hear Marian Anderson is more than a musical experience.” 

Duke Ellington

6. Duke Ellington, pianist and composer (1899-1974)

Duke Ellington spent most of his early musical years writing one-off compositions while working other jobs. For example, his first composition, entirely written by ear was the “Soda Jerk Rag” at the age of 15. Around 1919, however, Ellington was encouraged by artists around him to pursue his musical career. Finding success as a piano player, Ellington formed his own group that would play around Virginia and Washington D.C. He would gain national recognition, however, in the1920s, with his orchestra’s feature in the Cotton Club at Harlem. He would conduct his jazz orchestra until his last days and received a posthumous Pulitzer Prize in 1999. More recently, you may have heard the MSO perform the Duke Ellington Fantasy arranged by Leroy Anderson at their Great American Songbook concert in March 2023.

To learn more about Black excellence in music, we encourage you to check out the sources below!

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Sources:

• https://jimcrowmuseum.ferris.edu/question/2021/december.htm

• https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/black-composers-who-made-classical-music-history/

• https://www.laphil.com/about/watch-and-listen/the-legacy-of-henry-lewis

• https://www.carnegiehall.org/About/History/Carnegie-Hall-Icons/Marian-Anderson