By JONATHAN BATISTE

For a man of such a calm and content demeanor, George Walker has accomplished some of the most amazing things in the history of musical composition. This was evident from a glance at the program for the panel discussion in Morse Hall on February 13 that featured the composer in conversation with Maestro James DePreist. Mr. Walker's biography is nothing short of inspiring: He was the first African-American graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1996, and has received two Guggenheim fellowships and two Rockefeller fellowships, in addition to many other awards and commissions. But what would really inspire were the words he would soon speak.

George Walker

The panel discussion, one of the events held at Juilliard in celebration of Black History Month, began with a respectful introduction by President Joseph Polisi, who is quite the accomplished musician himself and who reiterated the dedication and brilliance that George Walker has brought to classical music. DePreist, the renowned conductor who is director of conducting and orchestral studies at Juilliard, was also a panelist. The music presented during the event chronicled Walker's career as a composer from 1946 to the present. Baritone James Martin, soprano Theresa Santiago, and pianist Blair McMillan performed vocal works; the Marian Anderson String Quartet performed the "Lyric" movement from Walker's String Quartet No.1; and violinist Ashley Horne and pianist William McDaniel concluded the program with Walker's Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano.

The panel discussion began with President Polisi posing the question of what is the responsibility of composers and conductors to bring new work to symphony orchestra audiences. Mr. Walker observed that the music director of an orchestra has the ability to program his or her preferences, but many nonmusical factors influence their ability to add new works to their symphonic programming. Mr. DePreist cited two of them; one is "pigeonholing," when an artistic director seeks a 5- or 10-minute piece to complete a previously sketched-out program. In addition, artistic decisions are sometimes made within a marketing scheme that lacks artistically informed individuals. Mr. DePreist observed, "Marketing departments of symphony orchestras have gained in influence and power, unfortunately … and are not equipped to make artistic decisions."

The latter portion of the panel got deeper into the musical and artistic decisions that one has to make regarding his or her art. The panelists also spoke about the task facing composers of getting one's music played for conductors. Mr. DePreist said that he receives numerous unsolicited scores, CDs, and MP3s from composers, which he personally reviews. Although some unsolicited works may be programmable, the conductor's recommendation is sometimes supplanted by the artistic and marketing departments of the symphony orchestra.

Another topic of the evening was the importance of African-American artists in the history of European classical music, and some of the racial issues that have plagued them in their careers. Mr. DePreist recalled that, in 1956, he had had to join a separate union from that of most of his colleagues in the symphony orchestra, because African-Americans were not allowed to join the same American Federation of Musicians Union as white musicians. He also mentioned being specifically advised not to audition for a particular orchestra due to his race. Mr. DePreist made reference to the historic cancelling of his aunt Marian Anderson's 1939 recital in Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.), who had not realized when the concert was booked that she was black. Mr. Walker also reflected on instances in the past where segregation was an issue for him, such as when his mother would not allow him to accept an invitation from his piano teacher to go hear a concert in Constitution Hall performed by Paderewski. It was noted by the panel participants that things have changed, but more can still be done. In the midst of the conversation, Mr. DePreist asked, "Would you judge George Walker's music by his cultural heritage or by how great it is?" His point was that we respect and play Walker's work because of his genius, not because he is black.

In the end, Mr. Walker stated, "Performers who feel confident in their ability should not be hesitant doing something that they haven't done in the past." It is important to include new music in all programming, from the symphony orchestra to the recital hall. The panel discussion was an appropriate way to celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans in music during Black History Month, in the midst of The Juilliard School's centennial season.

Pianist Jonathan Batiste is a bachelor's degree candidate in jazz studies.