About the Project
What, Why, and When it was made
Welcome to the Joseph Bologne Project!
At the beginning of 2021, the South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestras adapted to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic by embarking on a one of a kind endeavor of youth scholarship entitled, “The Joseph Bologne Project.”
Part One of the project had students paired up to research the complete, known, published works of the first major classical composer of African heritage, Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de St. George.
In Part Two, students were encouraged to pursue their individual curiosity around the life and works of Bologne, and to produce unique creations of historical research, original artwork, and performances of his compositions. Ten performances - eight chamber and two orchestral - followed.
All of these efforts led to the creation of this website, which highlights the work done by the students of the South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestras during the first half of 2021. Please explore this site and enjoy the inspired work of these fine students!
If you wish to donate to the SBYSO to support the continuing work of this project, and its artistic and educational missions, then we invite you to visit the “Donate” page listed above.
We wish you many happy returns,
Robert W. Boardman
South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestras, Music Director and Conductor, South Bend, IN
DMA, Orchestral Conducting, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI