Lara Downes is an American classical pianist and cultural activist who has made the popularization of classical music by women and black Americans one of her causes.[1][2][3] She was selected as the Classical Woman of the Year for 2022 by a poll of listeners to the radio program Performance Today.[4]

She is host of the NPR show AMPLIFY with Lara Downes and is an Artist Ambassador for Headcount, working to promote participation in democracy through music.[5] On March 18, 2022, Downes was announced as the successor to the recently retired Jim Svejda. Since then, she has hosted "Evening Music", which can be heard Mondays-Fridays from 8 PM - midnight.

Discography

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  • Exiles' Cafe (2013)[6]
  • America Again (2016)[7][8][9]
  • For Lenny (2018)[10]
  • Holes in the Sky (2019)[11]
  • For Love of You (2019)[12]
  • Florence Price Piano Discoveries (2020)[13]
  • Reflections: Scott Joplin Reconsidered (2022)[14]
  • Love at Last, Pentatone (2023)
  • This Land, Pentatone (2024)

References

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  1. ^ Anne Midgette (2019-02-24). "The unbearable lightness of women's music: Pianist Downes celebrates the matriarchy". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
  2. ^ Ruff, William (23 October 2017). "Lara Downes at Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall - Review". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  3. ^ Kosman, Joshua. "Review: Oakland Symphonys triumphant season opener begins new chapter". sfchronicle.com. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  4. ^ "2022 Classical Woman of the Year: Lara Downes". www.yourclassical.org. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  5. ^ "Boston Symphony Orchestra, about Lara Downes".
  6. ^ "Album review: Lara Downes, Exiles' Cafe (Steinway & Sons)". The Independent. 4 April 2013. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  7. ^ Huizenga, Tom (20 October 2016). "Review: Lara Downes, 'America Again'". NPR. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  8. ^ "Classical pianist Lara Downes reimagines the American dream". South China Morning Post. 12 January 2017. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  9. ^ Weininger, David. "Lara Downes casts a wide net on beautiful album 'America Again' - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  10. ^ "Classical Album of the Week: For Lenny". WRTI. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  11. ^ "Lara Downes Celebrates Women Composers on Her New Album". SFCV. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  12. ^ "Classical Album of the Week: Pianist Lara Downes Honors Clara Schumann's Life and Work". WRTI. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  13. ^ Barone, Joshua (12 February 2021). "3 New Albums Retell the History of Black Composers". The New York Times.
  14. ^ "A Pianist Strolls Her Harlem History, and Scott Joplin's". www.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
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