Newson’s “Americana Lecture Series” presentations to be held on March 8 and March 29
Kesha Williams
February 28, 2011
Join Dr. Roosevelt Newson, ECSU’s first Spangler Endowed Professor and the chairperson of the Music Department, for the initial segments of the "Americana Lecture Series," on March 8 and March 29 in the auditorium of the Mickey L. Burnim Fine Arts Center. The March 8 presentation begins at 7 p.m.The subject matter for all of the presentations will center around American Music and the&nbsprole of African-Americans in creating the country’s&nbspunique&nbspmusical language.&nbsp&nbspWhile the first two presentations will take place in March, future presentations will be scheduled over a broader range of time.&nbsp His first&nbsppresentation is&nbspa lecture, "The Invention of the Negro and the Evolution of His Music," but the second presentation, "The Era of Ragtime," is a lecture-recital featuring student and faculty performers. The&nbspseries will continue throughout his appointment&nbspas the Spangler Endowed Professor.&nbsp "Next year, I am likely to present&nbspone standard lecture and a second presentation which will be&nbspa multi-media presentation.&nbspI’m looking forward to presenting this series for the community and of course ECSU students, staff and faculty," Newson said.Dr. Newson has an impressive resume documenting his accomplishments as a concert pianist and academician.&nbsp Featured as a soloist with the Charlotte Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Philharmonic, and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, Newson has also presented solo recitals at Diligentia Hall in The Hague, The Mozarteum in Salzburg, Wigmore Hall in London, Town Hall in New York City, as well as The Kennedy Center and the National Gallery of Art, both in Washington D.C.&nbsp For a brief period, Newson was listed on the artist roster of the Perotta Management in New York City.&nbsp The Louisiana-born pianist graduated from Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. and continued his formal studies at The Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore and The Juilliard School in New York City.&nbsp Newson’s primary teachers include Walter Hautzig, Leon Fleisher, and Martin Canin.&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp With a second career in Higher Education, Dr. Newson has served as Dean at three institutions and as Provost at two other institutions. Having served two terms on the Board of Directors for CCAS (Council of Colleges of Arts &amp Sciences), he was subsequently elected as President of CCAS.&nbsp A former ACE (American Council on Education) Fellow, &nbspNewson is currently serving a three-year term on the Board of Directors for the ACE Council of Fellows.For more information on this series, contact the ECSU Music Department, 335-3359.