In One Lifetime

About this book

This is the story of Americas first Black composer of serious orchestal and operatic work. William Grant Still was the first Black composer in the US to have a symphony performed by a major symphony orchestra the first to have an opera produced by a major company in America and the first to conduct a major American orchestra. True to the promise he carried forward from his remarkable parents and grandparents he helped his generation to shape the world of music. His spiritual convictions his explorations of the occult his courage during dark periods his relationships to the luminous names in music during his lifetime his bond to a racially-mixed family and through it all his dedication to the music he believed in come together in a fascinating tale of live aspiration intrigue disappointment and triumph. It is told from the perspective of the woman who shared most of that life. It is a requiem a love story a log of a terrible and marvelous journey a proclamation and a promise.