The Texarkana Symphony Orchestra is initiating a new concept to celebrate Black History Month.

The TSO and Lonoke Baptist Church will team up for a free concert at 6 p.m. Feb. 8 at the church, 1841 Lonoke Ave., in Texarkana, Ark.

“This is a partnership between Lonoke Baptist Church and the Texarkana Symphony,” said Marc-André Bougie, orchestra conductor.

Texarkana Regional Chorale also will join the performance.

“The music we’re going to perform is traditional African-American music,” Bougie said, noting spirituals will also be performed.

Composers on tap include William Grant Still, Moses Hogan, William Dawson and Undine Moore. Still, said Bougie, is “the dean of African-American composers,” and the TSO has performed his work before.

He said the concert, a first for TSO, is rooted in some work he did for Lonoke a couple of years ago.

“Two years ago I was asked by Lonoke Baptist Church to come direct one of their concerts,” Bougie said.

He said in the spirit of outreach and to expand the TSO audience he thought it would be a worthy project to work again with Lonoke.

“Classical music by African-Americans is a large part of that (classical) heritage,” he said.

“In between the music we’re going to perform we’re going to have a poetry reading by African-American poets and writers ... we want to make this an event, not just a concert,” said Bougie.

“We’re going to explore lots of different aspects or facets of African-American classical music.”

It’s a milestone for the orchestra.

“My hope is that this becomes an annual event,” Bougie said. “It’s also my hope that we celebrate American diversity not only one month a year but the whole year.”



(More information: 870-773-3401.)