Boulanger Initiative will be hosting AMPLIFY: Lara Downes Plays Florence Price, a series of livestreams featuring performances of the piano music of the groundbreaking composer Florence Price, performed by Lara Downes.

In between the pre-recorded performances, Lara will discuss the stories behind this exceptional music live with three different hosts - Garrett McQueen, Helga Davis, and James Bennett, followed by a live Q&A. For the final performance, “From the Heart,” there will also be a unique commissioned dance component devised and performed by Tariq Darrell O'Meally.

Thursday, July 23 at 7 pm ET: “From the Heart,” hosted by James Bennett- with Tariq Darrell O'Meally

Program: First Romance, In a Sentimental Mood, Your Hands in Mine, Fantasie Negre No. 4

Florence Price was the first African American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer and has received increasing attention in recent years since a large number of her manuscripts were only rediscovered in 2009. A portion of the proceeds raised through donations during the livestreams will be going to the ACLU to aid in the fight against racial inequality.

This event is free and will be streamed on Boulanger Initiative’s Facebook page and YouTube, and the donation proceeds will be split between performers, hosts, BI, and ACLU. To donate during the livestream, visit https://www.boulangerinitiative.org/donate. The donation levels will be as follows:

$5 donation → Zoom background of Florence Price

$25 donation → Limited Edition Mixtape: “AMPLIFY: Lara Downes plays Florence Price”

$50 donation → Lara Downes’ CD Holes in the Sky

$100 donation → Limited Edition Vinyl: “AMPLIFY: Lara Downes plays Florence Price”