Nine MCs from Across the US Selected to Participate in Master Classes, February 3-5, As Part of Carnegie Hall’s Series of Artist Training Workshops
The MCs Will Perform in a Public Showcase, Hosted by Black Thought, on February 5
Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute announced that nine rising MCs have been selected, after review of a significant number of applications, to participate in a free workshop led by legendary hip-hop artist Black Thought from February 3-5, 2020 as part of the Hall’s ongoing series of artist training workshops and master classes for young professional musicians. The MCs, who have been recognized as exceptionally talented rising artists in hip-hop, are:
- Bones Brigante (New York, New York)
- Dell-P (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
- Le’Asha (Lanham, Maryland)
- Maimouna Youssef aka Mu Mu Fresh (Baltimore, Maryland)
- Mo.st (Orange Park, Florida)
- Queen Jo (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
- Rahzel Jr. (Rye, New York)
- Saba The Godis (Lewisville, Texas)
- Shawn Smith (Lansdowne, Pennsylvania)
Marking the culmination of the inaugural hip-hop master class at Carnegie Hall, the MCs who have trained with Black Thought during the multi-day workshop focused on lyricism, flow, style, and delivery, will perform a final showcase, open to the public, hosted by The Roots front man. The performance will take place onWednesday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Weill Music Room in Carnegie Hall’s Resnick Education Wing.
Artists on the rise are given valuable access to world-class performers and composers through free workshops and master classes for young professional musicians (ages 18-35), created by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI). Participants are selected after responding to an open call for auditions. These up-and coming musicians receive personal coaching and mentoring from leading artists, helping them to reach their artistic and professional goals. Previous workshops and master classes presented by WMI have featured Joyce DiDonato, Renée Fleming, Marilyn Horne, Zakir Hussain, Abdullah Ibrahim, Bobby McFerrin, Brad Mehldau, Paquito d’Rivera, and more celebrated artists across multiple genres.
Tariq Trotter, aka Black Thought, is an American rap artist and MC for the Philadelphia-based hip-hop group, The Roots. Trotter, who co-founded The Roots with drummer Questlove, is widely lauded for his complex and politically aware lyrical content and his sharply live performances.
The four-time Grammy Award winning artist – along with his band The Roots – are a staple in late-night television, starring as the house band for NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. As an influencer and innovator in the music industry for more than two decades, the rap lyricist has collaborated with numerous industry-leading artists. Tariq also served as a co-producer on the Grammy Award-winning original Broadway cast recording of Hamilton.
Most recently, Black Thought and Questlove of The Roots executive produced a new documentary series, Hip-Hop: The Songs That Shook America, which launched on AMC in the fall of 2019 under their production company, Two One Five Entertainment. Additionally, Trotter’s fluidity as a performer can also be seen in his on-screen roles; most recently, he co-starred in HBO’s The Deuce.
In addition to the Black Thought master classes, other upcoming workshops and master classes this season include SongStudio, an innovative new workshop for singers and pianists hosted annually by legendary soprano Renée Fleming, now in its second year (January 13-20, 2020); the Kristian Bezuidenhout Beethoven Sonata Workshop (April 1-4, 2020); and master classes for young opera singers hosted each year by renowned mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato (April 6-8, 2020). In addition to these offerings, special opportunities are available for vocalists and other young musicians. Additional information and online applications are available at carnegiehall.org/en/education/young-musicians/workshops.
Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI) creates visionary programs that embody Carnegie Hall’s commitment to music education, playing a central role in fulfilling the Hall’s mission of making great music accessible to as many people as possible. With unparalleled access to the world’s greatest artists, WMI’s programs are designed to inspire audiences of all ages, nurture tomorrow’s musical talent, and harness the power of music to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. An integral part of Carnegie Hall’s concert season, these programs facilitate creative expression, develop musical skills and capacities at all levels, and encourage participants to make lifelong personal connections to music. The Weill Music Institute generates new knowledge through original research and is committed to giving back to its community and the field, sharing an extensive range of online music education resources and program materials for free with teachers, orchestras, arts organizations, and music lovers worldwide. More than 600,000 people each year engage in WMI’s programs through national and international partnerships, in New York City schools and community settings, and at Carnegie Hall. This includes more than half a million students and teachers worldwide who participate in WMI’s Link Up music education program for students in grades 3 through 5, made possible through Carnegie Hall partnerships with over 115 orchestras in the US from Alaska to Puerto Rico, as well as internationally in Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, Kenya, and Spain.
For more information, please visit: carnegiehall.org/education
Lead support for workshops and master classes is provided by Beatrice Santo Domingo, and Mr. and Mrs. Anthony B. Evnin and A.E. Charitable Foundation. Workshops and master classes are made possible, in part, by Mr. and Mrs. Nicola Bulgari. Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of Carnegie Hall.
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