This past Saturday the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) honored celebrated pianist André Watts and longtime orchestra supporter and cultural leader Chacona W. Baugh at the annual Arthur L. Johnson-Honorable Damon Jerome Keith Classical Roots Celebration. The Winter Gala also premiered the original work of composer Nkeiru Okoye’s Black Bottom, a new work inspired by the historic African-American Detroit neighborhood of the same name.
For 42 years, the DSO’s Classical Roots concerts have presented African-American composers and musicians, and since 2001, the Celebration has honored composers, musicians, educators, and leaders for lifetime achievement as well as raised funds to support the DSO’s African-American music and musician development programs.
For more information visit dso.org/classicalroots
Photo Credit: Photography By Tafari
About Post Author
