Additional Information
The Obiora Ensemble of Montreal is a classical orchestra whose mission is to introduce European-style scholarly music written by racialised artists. In the case of classical music, that means pretty much anyone who isn’t white and male. The orchestra is also made up of musicians from multicultural backgrounds, which is not very often seen in well-established orchestras. Of course, the ensemble also plays the pillars of the “White” repertoire, but in programs where these are alongside pieces by female composers, white or not, by “old” (baroque, classical, romantic) black composers, or of course by contemporary artists from all backgrounds. In short, it is an ensemble that ultimately reflects a more accurate image of the possibilities for listening to and interpreting classical music, an image that also corresponds much more precisely to the population of an ultra-cosmopolitan city like Montreal. On August 2 and 3, 2025, the Obiora Ensemble will give two free concerts in as many Montreal parks, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Park at 7 p.m. (August 2) and Ahuntsic Park at 2 p.m. (August 3). These concerts are made possible by being part of the Campbell Concerts series. The program, for the occasion, will consist of works by artists of African descent: Valerie Coleman (Tzigane for quintet), Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (Nonet in F minor op.2), and William Grant-Still (Danzas De Panama). I spoke with the orchestra’s co-founder and executive director, Allison Migeon, about these concerts.
