Chautauqua Tea event will feature black composer

By Jennifer Brummett
Staff Writer

The focus of this year's Chautauqua Tea is a founding father of American music.

Francis ``Frank'' Johnson, an African-American composer and musician, was ``a really important aspect of black musical heritage in America,'' noted George Foreman, managing director of the Norton Center for the Arts. Steve Charpie, who will present the program, said Johnson has ``fallen into obscurity'' but in his day was ``incredibly famous.''

``The program will feature a tribute to Frank Johnson,'' Charpie said. ``It will tell about his life and things that happened.''

According to Charpie, Johnson (1792-1844), a native Philadelphian, was the first African-American to publish music in this country. In addition, he was the first American of any color to tour Europe as a musician. Perhaps most importantly, Johnson was responsible for the first documented, integrated musical performances in the United States.

Charpie said Johnson gained a national and international reputation in his time.

``He was a very important figure in history,'' he said. ``Now, he has become a little more obscure. Hopefully this concert will restore him to position as true founding father of American music.

``There has never been a true focus on Frank Johnson. With all things going on with band festival it was astounding to me that no one was talking about the music of Frank Johnson.''

Charpie's interest presenting the Chautauqua program began with instrumental work.

``I actually started as I was doing work on the keyed bugle -- it was just an unusual instrument to work on,'' Charpie explained. ``I started working a little bit with the keyed bugle, then started the process of research. A lot of interest has been generated by this project and Danville will be the first to hear it.''

Johnson wrote 300 compositions, of which about 200 have survived.

``A number of different institutions are excited about presenting this music and getting it out there,'' Charpie noted. ``There will be additional projects coming from this as a result.''

A unique aspect of the musical end of the program will be performances on a ``keyed bugle,'' with which Johnson was a virtuoso in his time, and on which all music will be played. Historic keyed bugles from the Joe Utley collection in Spartanburg, S.C., will be used, including one of tortoise shell.

``It is among the rarest instruments known,'' Charpie said. ``There are only two in the world and the other is in the Smithsonian while one will be presented here in Danville. It will be the first documented performance (with the instrument), at least in this century.''

During the performance, lithographs of very rare music by Johnson will be incorporated into a slide show Charpie will present.

Danville Deputy Fire Marshal Wendell Boyd will be an interesting, surprising featured addition to the performance that Charpie was unwilling to reveal. This segment of the program will be a special tribute to the fire department.

The program segment of the Chautauqua Tea will be 3 p.m. June 13 at the West T. Hill Community Theatre. Tea will follow at the Tea Leaf.

Tickets are available for $10 at the Tea Leaf. If seating is available, persons who wish to attend the program but not the tea may do so free of charge. However, tickets for the program alone are required. If available, tickets may be picked up at the Norton Center for the Arts box office beginning Wednesday morning, June 12. For more information, call the Tea Leaf at 236-7456 or the Norton Center at 236-4692.