The Nubian Conservatory of Music’s Annual Concert
E. Harrison Gordon, Founder and Director of the Nubian Conservatory of Music
Under the direction of the Nubian Conservatory’s masterful leader, E. Harrison Gordon, the annual spring concert was held at Siloam Presbyterian Church.
The students, young and not quite as young, shared with the audience their musical training developed during the year. It was a source of great pride, not just for the family of the students, but for the entire audience. We hear so much about what is wrong and not being done by our youth, these performers dispel these reports. Their talent and grace was on full display.
The program included anthems, spirituals and operatic arias by composers such as Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Bach and Verdi.
Keeping with the mission of the Conservatory dedicated to preserving music of the African Diaspora, one of the most memorable solos was performed by 16-year old Soprano, Alisha Roberts, singing “I Want Jesus To Walk With Me”. Of equal mastery was a Bellini duet “Il Rival (from “I Puritani”) performed by Ricky Brackett and Albert Williams. I’m confident we’ll see more of this pair. This is the type of performance one would expect to receive at the Metropolitan Opera House. This is the level of accomplishment these performers have achieved through the training of E. Harrison Gordon.
E. Harrison Gordon taught music in New York City public schools for over 30 years. After witnessing the elimination of music curriculum in the public school system, in 1983 Mr. Gordon established the Nubian Conservatory as an alternative source of training for students pursuing music careers.
Carolyn Jenkins, the president of the Friends of the Nubian Conservatory addressed the audience, welcomed newcomers to the annual concert, and thanked the others for their continued support. While the details of the upcoming fundraiser were not available, the president did ask the audience to look for the flyer which would be available soon. The proceeds of the fundraiser will go toward the building fund and to help send the Nubian Conservatory Concert Choir to Ghana, West Africa for the Ghanaian Concert Tour in 2015.
The Nubian Conservatory is available to anyone wishing to take voice, piano, violin, cello, double bass, drums, theory, choir, stage deportment or guitar lessons. For more information or to make a donation, please contact the NCM at (718) 453-7586; 47 Rogers Avenue, 1st floor, Brooklyn, NY 11216; website: www.nubianconservatoryofmusic.com, Email: [email protected].
