Lee Pringle, founder of the Charleston Gospel Choir that makes its home here at Second Presbyterian and sings twice yearly in our services, is also the founder of the Colour of Music Festival.
Based in Charleston and organized in 2013, the Colour of Music Festival has brought international, national, and regional classically trained black musicians of African descent to share their musical talents, knowledge, and inspiration to concert and performance halls across the U.S.
In the Fall of 2017 The Colour of Music Festival announced and released the official Colour of Music Festival poster, collaboratively designed by Charleston-based artist Colin Quashie and graphic designer Gil Shuler. The bold statement of the all-black classical musicians festival was a good fit for Quashie, nationally known for his audacious art.
The Festival has decided to re-release the poster among increased requests as people have started using the image in social media settings.
Resistance, solidarity, and togetherness is the context for Quashie’s use of a five-string violin and a fist, a symbol of black resistance, that commemorated the Festival’s fifth anniversary. Graphic designer Gil Shuler hand drew the Festival name and dates for the 2017 Festival.
As the Black Lives Matter movement recently intensified after George Floyd’s death, white supporters around the globe have joined black protesters using the raised fist as a show of support and solidarity.
Though socially and politically current, the visual illustrates the dogged defiance of black classical composers and musicians who for centuries withstood cultural biases from audiences and who now are pushing the current orchestral community to do more to showcase black artists’ talent and composers’ works.
Now in its eighth season, the Festival itself has defied the odds by presenting in major cities throughout the U.S.
Posters and t-shirts are available in the shop at colourofmusic.org, where you can also view their George Floyd Memorial montage video.