William Grant Still

William Grant Still Jr., born on May 11, 1895, in Mississippi and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, emerged as a pivotal figure in American classical music. His extensive body of work includes nearly two hundred compositions, featuring five symphonies, four ballets, nine operas, and over thirty choral works, art songs, chamber music, and solo pieces. His musical journey began at Wilberforce University and continued at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied under notable composers such as George Whitefield Chadwick and Edgard Varèse.

Still's contributions to music were not only prolific but also groundbreaking. He was the first American composer to have an opera produced by the New York City Opera, marking a significant milestone in the history of American opera. His most renowned work, the Afro-American Symphony, composed in 1930, held the distinction of being the most performed symphony by an American until 1950. This symphony, along with his other works, solidified his reputation as the