About this Event
Black Broadway: The Early Years
The and , in Association with , proudly present BLACK BROADWAY: THE EARLY YEARS on March 13, 2026, at 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm) at the historic Playhouse (126 St. Felix Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217), which is currently celebrating its centennial anniversary.
BLACK BROADWAY: THE EARLY YEARS is a concert and multimedia exploration that begins with National Conservatory of Music of America's influences on early Broadway music under the leadership of Antonín Dvořák (director from 1892-1895) and pays special tribute to traditional Spirituals and the contributions of Black composers (Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, Noble Sissle & Eubie Blake), whose work has influenced Broadway’s Golden Years through today.
In BLACK BROADWAY: THE EARLY YEARS, a 22-piece orchestra conducted by Tali Makell with guest vocalists Bahati Barton and Sailor Mayberry will perform Dvořák's American String Quartet intermixed with African American Spirituals for the first act. Spirituals inspired Dvořák, early Black Broadway composers, and multiple styles, including Gospel and Ragtime. The second act features music by early Black Broadway composers Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, showcasing their works from 1902-1921. Conductor and Music Director Tali Makell narrates a multimedia video documentary by Stephen Blauweiss, introducing the themes and history.
The National Conservatory of Music of America (founded in 1885 by socialite Jeannette Thurber) was a racially and gender-integrated organization that trained prominent American composers and their mentors. Dvořák's belief that contributions from Black or Indigenous Americans and immigrants were essential to the development of new American music shifted interest in musical innovation toward New York City. This was echoed in the music of early Broadway through to contemporary times.
Several National Conservatory students produced all-Black musicals on Broadway and went on to mentor Duke Ellington and other greats. One professor taught Aaron Copland and George Gershwin. Founder Jeannette Thurber championed women and people of color, supported inclusivity toward disabled people and offered full scholarships. She advocated for federal arts funding, which was common in Europe but then unheard of in the United States.
Through amplifying and honoring these significant historical figures who contributed to New York’s music and culture of yesteryear, many of whom are lesser-known to modern audiences, BLACK BROADWAY: THE EARLY YEARS aims to showcase shared links and influences from past New Yorkers to spark inspiration and foster connections between today’s NYC creatives.
Black Broadway: The Early Years and Nietzsche Music Project Inc. programs are made possible in part by the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administered by Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC), and our donors, partners, and collaborators.
BLACK BROADWAY: THE EARLY YEARS
DATE: Friday, March 13, 2026
TIME: 7pm (Doors at 6:30pm)
LOCATION: Brooklyn Music School Playhouse (126 St. Felix Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217)
Instagram: @nmpblackbroadway Website: www.nietzschemusicproject.org
CREATIVE & PRODUCTION TEAM:
Conductor & Music Director: Tali Makell
Producer, Marketing Director & Publicist: Cindy Sibilsky
Orchestra: The Chamber Philharmonia of New York
Guest Singers: Bahati Barton and Sailor Mayberry
Music Contractor: Anthony Morris
Technical Engineer & Media Director: Shin Kurokawa
Introduction Documentary Filmmaker: Stephen Blauweiss
About Nietzsche Music Project & Chamber Philharmonia of New York:
Nietzsche Music Project, Inc. (NMP) is an NYC nonprofit (est. 1993) whose initial focus was music by Friedrich Nietzsche. It developed into a research and performance project that utilizes Nietzsche’s analytical approach to explore the interrelationships between musicians and the culture that informs their work. The Chamber Philharmonia of New York (CPNY) is NMP’s performance group, presenting music by composers who have resided in NYC or NYS and were influenced by the city. The chamber orchestra is a mix of professional and student musicians of varied ages and backgrounds.
NMP and CPNY’s mission and vision are to educate and inspire diverse, multicultural, multigenerational audiences through meticulously researched multimedia performances that connect today’s New Yorkers with those of yesteryear who influenced and shaped present-day music and culture. We aim to foster an appreciation for classical works and historic New York-centric composers while demonstrating the interconnectedness and shared cultural influences among the eclectic multitude of people who make up New York, then and now.
About Brooklyn Music School:
Brooklyn Music School (BMS) is a community school for the performing arts, founded in 1910 as the Brooklyn Music School Settlement. The school was founded on the principle that performance and appreciation were essential to life, and it sought to bring music and performance to a broader audience of new Americans.
Today, Brooklyn is a magnet for people from around the world, both musicians seeking new audiences and families seeking a better life. The organization continues to stay true to its heritage of building communities through the joy and appreciation of music. BMS owns and operates a historic four-story building in the Fort Greene neighborhood that contains twenty-four classrooms, three dance studios, and a professional 266-seat Spanish-style theatre founded in 1926.
Brooklyn Music School is a long-standing member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts. In recent years, Fort Greene has become recognized as a cultural hub of Brooklyn and the home to some of the most innovative music and performances in New York City.
History of the BMS Playhouse:
Once the founders of The Brooklyn Music School Settlement had secured the purchase of our current home, their focus shifted to a campaign to build a theater in the backyard of the brownstones. From our records, this campaign began in 1919 and brought together people from all walks of life. Without the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce taking the lead, the theater would never have been built.
The community banded together, raised the funds needed to finalize the campaign, and broke ground. An article from 1925 describes the new theater as “a small, intimate Theatre equipped with all the modern devices of the stage and concert hall.” When the theater was completed in 1926, the opening was a tremendous moment for our humble school.
Over the last century, the school has hosted performances by our students and by some of the biggest names in music and dance. We cannot wait to have you join us for an incredible evening celebrating this beloved playhouse.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Brooklyn Music School, 126 Saint Felix Street, Brooklyn, United States
USD 15.18 to USD 28.52
