A FILM BY EMMY® AWARD-WINNING ARTIST TITUS UNDERWOOD
A TALE OF TWO TAILS
This is the story of one man navigating his existence as both a Black man and classical musician. It is a call to action for all creatives, affirming there can be innovation from disruption. Watch the full film below.
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Classical music. Reimagined.
Titus Underwood, Principal Oboe of the Nashville Symphony, is the first Black oboist to receive tenure as a principal player in a major U.S. symphony. A renowned artist, Titus has been honored as one of three recipients of the 2021 Sphinx Medal of Excellence awards and most recently was awarded the 2021 Midsouth Regional Emmy® for ‘We Are Nashville’.
The collective of his experiences enthuses him to create content that reimagines the aesthetics and presentations of classical music. A leader in the movement for inclusion in the field of classical music, Titus is often invited to perform, as well as teach, speak, and write about change and innovation in the field.
Play Black Music
NEW AESTHETICS UNINHIBITED.
In a year when live classical music performances have been silenced due to Covid-19 and America has struggled to address issues of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, this film explores the barriers of the three-dimensional space beyond the stage, as well as traditional programming. Musicians have always used music to tell stories, and this film uses the digital performance space and visual art to create a canvas to explore a new path for classical music.
Truth resurfaced under pressure.
At its surface, this is the story of a person who is both culturally diverse and a member of the traditional classical music world. The underlying sentiment of this film is to illustrate the baldness of conformity when one is forced to have separate private and public personas. This film is an affirmation of the dichotomy of Titus as a black man and a classical musician. In using two black composers, James Lee III and Fred Onovwerosuoke, Titus uses innovative and diverse programming to express his rich cultural heritage, with the desire to encourage other to do the same, and in doing so add value to the cultural fabric of the classical music industry.