Black Women
Composer Initiative

History doesn't disappear on its own. It disappears when we stop telling the story.

Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra is preserving and amplifying the contributions of Black women composers whose voices have too often been overlooked in American orchestral music. Inspired by Black Composers Series: 1974–1978—a landmark recording project that introduced audiences to Black composers while largely omitting women—this initiative offers a more complete picture of America's musical legacy.

Through four performances across Philadelphia, Black Pearl will showcase works by composers including Julia Perry, Courtney Bryan, Kendrah Butler-Waters, Valerie Coleman, Jannina Norpoth, Jessie Montgomery, and others. But the concert is only the beginning.

Following each performance, composers, musicians, and audience members will engage in conversations inspired by the music. Those discussions, combined with professional recordings of the performances, will become a new podcast shaped directly by audience questions, reflections, and ideas.

By combining live performance, dialogue, and digital storytelling, Black Pearl transforms the orchestra from presenter of art into a catalyst for connection, reflection, and cultural preservation. 

Most organizations ask audiences to listen. We invite them to help create.

➔ Join us!