Lara Downes Explained

Lara Downes is an American classical pianist and cultural activist who has made the popularization of classical music by women and black Americans one of her causes.^{[1] [2] [3]} She was selected as the Classical Woman of the Year for 2022 by a poll of listeners to the radio program Performance Today.^[4]

She is host of the NPR show AMPLIFY with Lara Downes and is an Artist Ambassador for Headcount, working to promote participation in democracy through music.^[5] On March 18, 2022, Downes was announced as the successor to the recently retired Jim Svejda on KUSC radio in Los Angeles. Since then, she has hosted "Evening Music", which can be heard Mondays-Fridays from 8 PM - midnight.

Discography

• Exiles' Cafe (2013)^[6]
• America Again (2016)^{[7] [8] [9]}
• For Lenny (2018)^[10]
• Holes in the Sky (2019)^[11]
• For Love of You (2019)^[12]
• Florence Price Piano Discoveries (2020)^[13]
• Reflections: Scott Joplin Reconsidered (2022)^[14]
• Love at Last, Pentatone (2023)
• This Land, Pentatone (2024)

External links

• Lara Downes' Web site

Notes and References

1. News: The unbearable lightness of women's music: Pianist Downes celebrates the matriarchy . 2019-02-24 . Anne Midgette . . Washington, D.C. . 0190-8286 . 1330888409.
2. Web site: William. Ruff. 2022-04-05. Lara Downes at Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall - Review. 23 October 2017. Nottingham Post.
3. Web site: Joshua. Kosman. 2022-04-05. Review: Oakland Symphonys triumphant season opener begins new chapter. sfchronicle.com.
4. Web site: 2022-04-05. 2022 Classical Woman of the Year: Lara Downes. www.yourclassical.org.
5. Web site: Boston Symphony Orchestra, about Lara Downes.
6. Web site: 2022-04-05. Album review: Lara Downes, Exiles' Cafe (Steinway & Sons). 4 April 2013. The Independent.
7. News: Tom. Huizenga. 2022-04-05. Review: Lara Downes, 'America Again'. NPR. 20 October 2016.
8. Web site: 2022-04-05. Classical pianist Lara Downes reimagines the American dream. 12 January 2017. South China Morning Post.
9. Web site: David. Weininger. 2022-04-05. Lara Downes casts a wide net on beautiful album 'America Again' - The Boston Globe. BostonGlobe.com.
10. Web site: 2023-01-21. Classical Album of the Week: For Lenny. 27 February 2018. WRTI.
11. Web site: 2023-01-21. Lara Downes Celebrates Women Composers on Her New Album. 12 April 2019. SFCV.
12. Web site: 2023-01-21. Classical Album of the Week: Pianist Lara Downes Honors Clara Schumann's Life and Work. 9 March 2020. WRTI.
13. News: 3 New Albums Retell the History of Black Composers . The New York Times . 12 February 2021 . Barone . Joshua .
14. News: 2023-01-21. A Pianist Strolls Her Harlem History, and Scott Joplin’s. www.nytimes.com.