YourClassical MPR diversity initiative will feature minority and female musical artists whose work has previously not been widely available. The first program, Justin Holland: The Guitar’s Black Pioneer, debuts February 22.
The program will feature Ernie Jackson, a Black classical guitarist and professor in the Department of Music at Queensborough Community College who has extensively studied Holland’s work. Justin Holland was a 19th Century Black American classical guitarist, teacher and civil rights activist who was well known in his time but has since fallen from popular awareness.
“It’s time that these other musical voices got their due, and that people can step up and claim this heritage for themselves. This is someone who lived here, who lived in our country and went through it and is someone who is Black,” said Robert Anderson, a lecturer at Queensborough Community College and recording engineer on the project.
“YourClassical MPR is very proud to be sponsor of such a worthy initiative, generously supported by our listeners,” said Julie Amacher, Program Director of YourClassical MPR. “We believe that featuring musical artists from underrepresented communities is an opportunity to create a more inclusive classical environment while introducing our audiences to great music.”
YourClassical is a collection of curated classical music listening experiences and information produced by Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media.
