“The Legacy Show” with violinist Tami Lee Hughes

Imagine a violinist who can “draw a sumptuous tone” from her instrument, “with a sound reminiscent of Perlman.” A violinist whose playing “rises to considerable technical challenges” and communicates “heartfelt declamation.” These quotes are statements made in print by music critics about violinist Tami Lee Hughes, whose innovative program The Legacy Show comes to UTC on Feb. 8, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. in Roland Hayes Concert Hall.

The Legacy Show pairs music with poetry and visual images, touching on various styles, from spirituals and gospel to jazz, blues, hip-hop, and classical. Composers and arrangers include Duke Ellington and Francis “Frank” Johnson—who was the most popular dance band leader and cornetist in Philadelphia in the early-mid-1800s—as well as living composers who draw on various popular music genres. Poets include James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, and others. All of the performing and creative artists included in the program are African-American.

Ms. Hughes’ solo album Legacy: Violin Music of African-American Composers was named one of the top ten albums of 2011 by “All Music Guide,” and has been broadcast via radio around the world. Her musical influences include artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Mahalia Jackson, and Lena Horne, as well as major figures in Classical music. She has performed at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center with the celebrated Sphinx Virtuosi Chamber Ensemble. Additionally, she has credits in popular music, film, and television. 

Tami Lee Hughes will be joined by pianist Byron Burford-Phearse, who has performed across the USA and internationally, including in Paris as part of the European American Musical Alliance. He has collaborated with several critically acclaimed singers and many instrumentalists.  Both Ms. Hughes and Mr. Burford-Phearse have impeccable educational credentials.

The Legacy Show at UTC is sponsored by Dr. Jonathan McNair, The Ruth S. Holmberg Professor of American Music, in cooperation with the UTC Dept. of English and the UTC Honors College.