The DeBoseNational Piano Competition Foundation is celebrating thirty years with adiverse format of music, poetry, and visual art that began Sunday, April3. The weeklong event ending April10, hosts a series of events on campus and in the community. “A Spiritual Journey–A Tribute to theArts” is the theme for the event this year.
“I amexcited about the program this year,” said Myrtle Davis, executive director ofthe DeBose program and professor of music at Southern University. “Thirty yearsis a long time to do anything.”
Beginningtoday and continuing until April 10, the Southern University Museum of Art willshowcase the exhibit, “Tribute to the Arts,” a Frank Hayden Retrospective.Hayden was a renowned artist who has several pieces of art on the Southerncampus.
On April 3,”Blues at Boudreaux’s” took place, with special musical guests Kenny Neal andRaful Neal Family Blues Friends, benefiting the DeBose Scholarship Benefit.
The DeBoseJazzfest for area East Baton Rouge Parish (EBR) middle and high school studentswill take place in the student union on April 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For thesame grade levels, “Dreams and Reflections,” is the theme for Poetry Hour I, onApril 7, in the DeBose Recital Hall at 9:30 a.m.
Also onApril 7, will be the Jazzfest for the college and the community will take placefrom 11a.m. to 1p.m. in the Smith-Brown Memorial Union.
There willalso be “Reflections from the Heart” Poetry Hour II, for EBR high schoolstudents at noon in the recital hall, a SU Music Showcase at 2 p.m. in theHayden Hall Fine Arts Theatre, and special guest appearance by poet NikkiGiovanni at Boudreaux’s at 7 p.m. Tickets for this event are $35 dollars.
Giovanni,famed writer, poet, essayist and professor, will be one of the focuses of theliterary portion of the competition. Giovanni, no stranger to the Southern University campus, is scheduled tobe present on April 7 and 8, at Poetry Hours I and II, the Frank HaydenRetrospective Exhibit, and the Poetry Forum, “Evoking the Spirit of Words andSong,” at 10 a.m. in the student union. Giovanni will also appear at the Poetryand Art exhibit, “A Sharing Moment of Words and Images,” 6 p.m. at the BatonRouge Gallery.
“Thisprogram is a wonderful idea,” said Jo Ann Marx, professor of English. “It isalmost as if Nikki Giovanni is coming home.”
Inconjunction with the events, the KUUMBA Literary Society sponsored a poetrycontest for all undergraduate and graduate students. Contest winners will beannounced on Friday at the Poetry Forum.
DeBose pianistsCharles Pettaway and W. Chapman Nyaho will give a school performance titled”Giving the Gift of Music” from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the recital hall onApril 8.
Byreservation only, the DeBose College/Young Artist Completion will take place inthe fine arts theatre.
At 1:30 p.m.in the recital hall, Dr. David Evenson of Southeastern Louisiana StateUniversity will have a concert in a Salute to music Teachers NationalAssociation. From 2 p.m. to 4p.m., Giovanni and the Greater Baton Rouge Poets will present “Poetry andPoets,” at the Baton Rouge Gallery.
On April 9,the Master Class: College/Young Artist Division will take place at 9:30 a.m.The Young Artist Recital: Keyboard Festival Winners will be at 1 p.m., thePiano Teachers Studio Honors Showcase Recital will be a 5 p.m., and the DeBoseAwards Ceremony will be at 7:30 p.m.
The closingevents will begin at 4 p.m. on April 10, with the SUMA Frank HaydenRetrospective Exhibit. At 5 p.m.,the “Spirit of Reunion,” Anniversary Concert and Commemorative Ceremony will beheld featuring DeBose artists W. Chapman Nayaho and Charles Pettaway.
Initiallythe program developed as a department and then a program within the communitybefore it became a national competition due to tremendous success.
The competitionis named in the honor of the late Tourgee Albion DeBose (1891-1971). Inaddition to being a concert pianist, DeBose served as the Chairman of theSouthern University Piano Department and Chairman of the Southern UniversityDivision of Music.
A devotededucator for over thirty years, DeBose believed in the development andpromotion of talented young pianists.
