New Initiative to Expand Opportunities in Classical Music for HBCU Students

Shared Voices is a contemporary classical music program for undergraduate and graduate students sponsored by the Denyce Graves Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by the noted opera singer, and the Ford Foundation.

Under the year-long Shared Voice program, students from Howard University, Fisk University, Morgan State University, and Morehouse College will form musical alliances with The Metropolitan Opera, faculty and students from The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University. Through classes, individual lessons, coaching, rehearsals, performances, and peer-to-peer exchanges, students from historically Black colleges and universities will have access to expand their cultural horizons, develop networks, and gain new insights into potential opportunities for a fulfilling career.

“Shared Voices is a dream come true. I am so excited to welcome our first cohort of students and have great expectations for how their careers grow and blossom as a result of this program,” said Denyce Graves.

“A well-rounded and diverse education is the foundation we build upon to achieve our goals, and it’s crucial that all young people continue to have opportunities and access to build networks, exchange ideas, and expand their horizons,” said Ford Foundation President Darren Walker. “We are thrilled to partner with the legendary Denyce Graves, one of the greatest opera voices of a generation, to pave broader pathways for young artists of all backgrounds.”

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1 COMMENT

  1. Bravo! This will benefit and encourage many emerging Black musicians! Thank you for your generosity and professional foresight! This is a gift of enormous potential.

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