FLORENCE PRICE: A STORY OF RESILIENCE THROUGH ART

Abstract

Florence Price’s unique compositional style quietly advocates for change in the realm of classical music. In recognizing the homogeneity within the sphere of performance and addressing shortcomings of the educational system, Price’s diary entries can explain the compositional choices made within several of her works, especially her Sonata in E Minor. Her upbringing as a Black woman in racially integrated Arkansas has informed her decisions as a composer, as she incorporates African American traditions in her writing: specifically, through the incorporation of spirituals and rhythmic elements of the cakewalk and ragtime. In addition to the following document, a presentation on Florence Price’s life and works has been delivered that included a live performance of the Sonata in E Minor. The research was informed by the archives at the New England Conservatory and the special collections archive at the University of Arkansas.