Classical Artists of Color Explore Rhythm of the Roots

Here's an opportunity to celebrate the African American and Latinx cultural legacy in the arts. Challenge the Stats will present the Rhythm of the Roots concert, postponed from Saturday, March 21 to June 27, 2020 at 8 p.m., featuring high-caliber classical artists of color using the power of the arts to fight for social justice in Atlanta. The concert features dance, spoken word, interactive conversation, and classical performance to honor often overlooked cultural history and to spark dialogue founded on truth and justice.

The concert takes place at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, 1328 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30309. In addition to First Presbyterian Church, our sponsors and featured partners include Giwayen Mata, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Talent Development Program, the Atlanta Opera, the Fulton County Remembrance Coalition, and Margins Guitar Collective.

In addition to paying homage to the cultural legacy in classical music, Challenge the Stats will provide a forum to discuss the path forward toward greater inclusion in the arts and in society at large. There will be a brief dialogue with the Tambra Harris, Artistic Director of the Giwayen Mata about honoring our ancestors.

Performers include Giwayan Mata, a powerful African drum ensemble playing Music for String Quartet and Djembe w/the Challenge the Stats String Quartet: violinist Jessica Stinson, violinist Tramaine Jones, violist Sherrod Mitchell, cellist Noah Johnson; Spoken word Artist Cleo Corinne of the Fulton County Remembrance Coalition; Concert pianist Brittney Boykin, who directs the choirs of Spelman, Agnes Scott and Georgia Tech; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Talent Development Program alums, acclaimed flutist Tara Byrdsong and Mexican-born clarinetist Francisco Vidales; Ciyadh Wells, founder of the Margins Guitar Collective and Jouelle Roberson, a captivating soprano with the Atlanta Opera Studio, who performs in the US and abroad.

Challenge the Stats was conceived after Angelica Hairston, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Talent Development alumnus, heard of shocking statistics facing minorities in the fine arts: only 4.2% of US orchestral musicians are black or Hispanic, less than 4% of opera audiences are African American, and less than 1% of compositions performed by American orchestras are by composers of color. As an advocate for diversity in the fine arts and a 2019 recipient of the GA Governor’s Award for Arts and Humanities, Angelica Hairston holds a Bachelor of Music, and a Harp Performance Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto, Canada) and a Master of Music Industry Leadership as a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Graduate Fellow at Northeastern University (Boston). She has a deep interest in creating platforms that work towards greater diversity, inclusion, and equity in the arts.

Both admission and parking (Lanier Parking Lot) are FREE with RSVP (suggested donation $10). RSVP at www.challengethestats.org/roots