Lara Downes : NPR

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Jessie Montgomery, composing from a place of self-honor

March 1, 2023 • Watch Lara Downes' conversation with the composer-in-residence of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra about balancing her roots, her craft and the shifting field of classical music.

Lara Downes' season 3 of 'Amplify' launches with a theme of renaissance

Host Lara Downes (left) talks with the young, Grammy-nominated jazz sensation Samara Joy. Nicholai Hammar/NPR hide caption

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Lara Downes' season 3 of 'Amplify' launches with a theme of renaissance

February 2, 2023 • NPR's Leila Fadel talks to pianist Lara Downes about her interview series Amplify, which examines how Black artists today might find themselves in a new cultural renaissance.

Lara Downes' season 3 of 'Amplify' launches with a theme of renaissance

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Jazz singer Samara Joy embraces the past while making music for the future

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February 2, 2023 • Watch Lara Downes' conversation with the 23-year-old, Grammy-nominated sensation about balancing the demands of a surging career and the women artists who paved the way.

Songs to believe in: A Juneteenth playlist

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Songs to believe in: A Juneteenth playlist

June 16, 2022 • This Juneteenth, pianist Lara Downes remembers the freedom that has been hard fought and hard won.

Songs to believe in: A Juneteenth playlist

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Pianist Lara Downes re-centers the music of the Great Migration

Lara Downes, whose series Rising Sun Music re-centers compositions from historically marginalized composers. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Pianist Lara Downes re-centers the music of the Great Migration

October 20, 2021 • Pianist Lara Downes' latest mini-album traces the story of the Great Migration of Black Americans from the south in the early to mid-20th century, with music by Florence Price and Harry T. Burleigh.

Pianist Lara Downes re-centers the music of the Great Migration

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Your Music Saved My Life: Ledisi Talks With Lara Downes

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Your Music Saved My Life: Ledisi Talks With Lara Downes

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August 28, 2021 • The versatile and impassioned singer was ready to throw in the towel until she heard a message in a Nina Simone song that told her, "You're going be fine. I understand how you feel. Keep going."

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Identity And Dance: Camille A. Brown Talks With Lara Downes

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August 14, 2021 • The groundbreaking choreographer, who is also the first Black director at the Metropolitan Opera, says she found self-expression through dance.

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Pandemic Lessons: Elaine Welteroth And Jonathan Singletary Talk With Lara Downes

KUSC

July 31, 2021 • The creative couple, who married in 2020, thrive on gratitude, community and the new approaches they've taken in the wake of the pandemic.

We Should Tell Stories Of Black Joy: Will Liverman Talks With Lara Downes

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We Should Tell Stories Of Black Joy: Will Liverman Talks With Lara Downes

KUSC

July 17, 2021 • The rising young baritone, searching for diversity in the opera house, tries on his composer hat by putting a Black spin on Rossini's The Barber of Seville.

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Shaking Up The Classical Canon: Randall Goosby Talks With Lara Downes

KUSC

July 3, 2021 • The rising young violinist discovers his musical roots and questions the traditional borderlines of the repertoire.

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You Have To Fight For The Vision: Wynton Marsalis Talks With Lara Downes

KUSC

June 19, 2021 • The musical polymath offers ideas on everything from Russian satellites and hip-hop, to Bach and football, and how they shape the musical education of America.

Celebrating Juneteenth And Black Music Month With Classical Classics

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Celebrating Juneteenth And Black Music Month With Classical Classics

June 16, 2021 • As part of an ongoing series, NPR's Rachel Martin talks to pianist Lara Downes about classical recordings of "Lift Every Voice" and "A Change Is Gonna Come," to mark Black Music Month and Juneteenth.

Celebrating Juneteenth And Black Music Month With Classical Classics

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The Alchemy Of Words And Music: Tayari Jones Talks With Lara Downes

KUSC

June 5, 2021 • The best-selling novelist shares tips for good writing and the stories behind some of the most meaningful music in her life, from Rossini to the O'Jays.

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What Is Activism? Carl Hancock Rux Talks With Lara Downes

KUSC

May 8, 2021 • The poet and playwright wrestles with the idea of being an activist in America today in its various forms, meanings and misunderstandings.

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Busting Myths And Building Resiliency: Esperanza Spalding Talks With Lara Downes

KUSC

April 24, 2021 • The self-described "athletically creative" bassist, vocalist and composer searches for origins and originality while writing an opera with jazz giant Wayne Shorter.

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A Melting Pot Of Traditions: Regina Carter Talks With Lara Downes

KUSC

April 10, 2021 • The genre-disrupting violinist talks about the problem with labeling music and the importance of being a role model for young women.

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Words Won't Fail Us: Rita Dove Talks With Lara Downes

KUSC

March 27, 2021 • The former poet laureate, Pulitzer winner and musician says she's obsessed with telling neglected stories and making poems sing.

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Erasing Genres With Cinematic Flair: Kris Bowers Talks With Lara Downes

KUSC

March 13, 2021 • The composer for the Oscar-winning film Green Book and the runaway hit series Bridgerton examines intersections between classical, jazz and pop, while paying homage to past musical pioneers.

With Her Recording Series 'Rising Sun,' Lara Downes Re-Centers Black Composers

Lara Downes. Her recent album, Phenomenal Women, featured recordings of compositions by Black female composers whose legacies have been overlooked by the classical establishment. Max Barrett/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Max Barrett/Courtesy of the artist

Deceptive Cadence

With Her Recording Series 'Rising Sun,' Lara Downes Re-Centers Black Composers

March 9, 2021 • NPR's Rachel Martin spoke to the pianist about Phenomenal Women, the most recent mini-album in the series, in which Downes re-recorded the work of some deeply impactful female composers.

With Her Recording Series 'Rising Sun,' Lara Downes Re-Centers Black Composers

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