Published on October 4, 2017 by Ashley Smith  
tami hughes

Samford University’s School of the Arts hosts violinist Tami Lee Hughes and pianist Byron Burford-Phearse and the presentation of The Legacy Show, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Brock Recital Hall. The Legacy Show is a multimedia concert of music by African-American composers performed by Hughes and Burford-Phearse. 

The Legacy Show is open to the public and admission is free. There will be a short “talk-back” discussion with the artists following the concert. 

The program features classical music infused with a variety of styles including spirituals, blues, gospel, hip-hop, and jazz. Portraying cultural themes of the Antebellum Period, the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights Era, and Modern Times, the program shares poetry and visual media. Notable artists whose works will be highlighted include Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Duke Ellington and Kerwin Young. 

According to the producers, “The Legacy Show is more than a concert.  It is a musical, cultural and historical journey guided by the work of prolific American creative artists… The Legacy Show is for everyone, it is food for the soul.” 

Kathryn Fouse, associate dean of Samford’s Division of Music, remarks, “We are delighted to bring The Legacy Show to Samford to celebrate the contributions of African-American musicians and poets and their impact on society. Poetry, narratives, and visual media will provide links between the music, the people, the places, and events in our history and culture. The evening will be a celebration of the many different kinds of music that we, as classical artists, can embrace. It will inspire all of us to think about our own voices as musicians and artists and to consider how we can use our art to contribute to a culturally diverse world.”  

Hughes will also conduct a master class with string students while on campus. Guest artists fill the stages of Samford Arts throughout the year, exposing students to performers and their stories.  Master classes and guest instruction enhance the curriculum and are an integral part of the School of the Arts experience. For more information visit www.samford.edu/arts/events.  

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.