Music can carry memories across generations and give voice to communities whose histories have been pushed to the margins. Those themes will take center stage Nov. 13 to 15 as Music with a Mission opens its 2026-27 season with “Indigenous Voices,” a program exploring the connections between classical music, cultural identity and histories of repression.
The three performances will feature works by Maurice Ravel, Florence Price, Gabriela Lena Frank and Bright Sheng. Together, selections invite audiences to consider how musical traditions survive, evolve and influence a classical repertoire that has not always recognized them.
“As we face a world of injustice, we often look to minority communities as those who suffer most,” said Bill Everett, artistic co-director of Music with a Mission. The program, he said, traces how these communities have fought to preserve their identities through music.
Although the title emphasizes Indigenous voices, the program takes a broader view of cultural heritage, encompassing Indigenous traditions alongside the experiences of African American and other historically underrepresented communities.
Ravel, widely associated with French musical impressionism, also had Basque heritage through his mother. His Piano Trio, composed while he was staying in Saint-Jean-de-Luz in the Basque region near the French-Spanish border, draws on musical influences associated with the region. The work offers an example of how a composer’s cultural background can shape music that later becomes part of the international classical canon.
The program also highlights Florence Price, an African-American woman who challenged racial and gender barriers in the early 20th century. In 1933, her Symphony No. 1 was performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, marking a significant milestone for a Black woman composer. Her Fantasy No. 2, composed in 1940, draws inspiration from African-American spirituals, a musical tradition rooted in the faith and resilience of enslaved people and their descendants.
A selection by contemporary composer Gabriela Lena Frank brings another perspective. Raised in the Bay Area, Frank studied the folk music of the Andes, drawing inspiration from the musical traditions of Peru, her mother’s native country. Her Four Folk Songs reflects the continuing presence of Indigenous cultural influences in a region often described through Spanish colonial history.
The program’s fourth composer, Bright Sheng, grew up in China during the Cultural Revolution. As a teenager, he was sent to Qinghai province, near the Tibetan region, where he encountered Tibetan music and culture. Those experiences inspired works including Tibetan Dance.
For Aileen Chanco, executive director and artistic co-director of Music with a Mission, the connections between music and continuing struggles for recognition make the program especially relevant.
“While I wish these struggles were a thing of the past, they continue today,” Chanco said. She added that the program demonstrates how classical music has evolved while remaining relevant to contemporary audiences.
Performing the program will be pianist Chanco, violinist Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu and cellist Robert Howard. Wu is the founder and artistic director of Sunkiss’d Mozart. Chanco has received recognition for her virtuosity and stage presence, while Howard won first prize in the Rome Festival Competition and has received grants from the Maggini and Virtu foundations.
Musicologist Dr. John Prescott will also give talks accompanying the performances, providing historical and cultural context for the music. Prescott previously served as resident pre-concert lecturer for Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and has taught at UC Berkeley.
The salon events combine performances with food and wine, and their locations are provided after reservations are made.
The first performance will be held at 7:30pm on Friday, Nov. 13. Two salon concerts follow that weekend, held in Fremont and Marina. For salon concerts, the address will be provided upon ticket purchase. Tickets range from $27 to $97.
For information and tickets, visit musicatmsj.org or tinyurl.com/IndigenousMusic.
All Saints Episcopal Church
Friday, Nov. 13: 7:30pm
911 Dowling Blvd., San Leandro
Fremont Salon Concert
Saturday, Nov. 14: 3:30pm
Location shared upon ticket purchase
Marina Salon Concert
Sunday, Nov. 15: 5pm
Location shared upon ticket purchase
