Teddy Abrams and Jecorey Arthur Tell the Story of Black Music

Image: O’Neil Arnold
From NPR.com:

‘Music Is Music’: A Rapper And A Conductor Cross Centuries In Louisville

How do traditional arts organizations respond to turbulent times?

Louisville, Ky. has been a center of protest since Breonna Taylor was killed by police a year ago, this month. Two prominent musicians in the city, an unusual pair, are collaborating in response: On one hand, there’s Jecorey Arthur – a rapper who, as of last year, became Louisville’s youngest elected official as a city councilor – and on the other there’s Teddy Abrams, conductor of the Louisville Orchestra, where he became music director seven years ago while still in his mid-20s. The two are now teaming up for a livestreamed concert this Saturday night as part of the program “LOVE,” or Louisville Orchestra Virtual Edition.

Appearing at the 2022 Festival, Teddy Abrams is the widely-acclaimed music director of the Louisville Orchestra and music director and conductor of the Britt Orchestra, as well as an established pianist, clarinetist, and composer. A tireless advocate for the power of music, Abrams continues to foster interdisciplinary collaboration with organizations including the Louisville Ballet, the Center for Interfaith Relations, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Speed Art Museum and the Folger Shakespeare Library.