• Saturday, September 28
• 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
• Harris County Public Library High Meadows Branch
• 4500 Aldine Mail Rte Rd, Houston, TX 77039

An afternoon of live music performances from some of Houston’s best, as we join with Harris County Library to celebrate Banned Books Week with “I’m with the Banned”! This event honors the spirit of free speech and the importance of access to information through a thoughtfully curated musical program. Join us for a powerful tribute to the resilience of knowledge and the enduring fight against censorship.

BANNED BOOKS: Apollo Chamber Players and HCPL present a musical commentary on the “reasoning” behind book censorship and control, with nods to notable books that have been banned historically.

DACAMERA Young Artist Isaac Foreman celebrates Jewish Italian composer Mario Castelnuovo Tedesco, whose music was banned by Mussolini’s antisemitic laws. These rarely played pieces will be interwoven with images and video clips, taken from a pre-recorded video interview between Mr. Foreman and Diana Castelnuovo Tedesco, the granddaughter and biographer of the composer. The program will tell the story of Mario’s artistic persecution in Italy, subsequent immigration to the US, and continued struggles as an artist separated from his homeland. Yu-Ming Ma, violin; Isaac Foreman, piano

Graeme Francis Pop Gets Jazzed
By including audiences in interactive discussions and exciting performances of popular songs they know, Graeme Francis and his band demonstrate how important jazz has been in the development of the music we listen to every day, and how jazz and pop music continue to influence each other right up to the present. It’s a fun, relaxed learning atmosphere that encourages participants of all ages to explore the many similarities shared between these musical genres.

Canadian drummer and educator Graeme Francis founded the UTSA Faculty Jazz Combo, which performed with local and national jazz figures including Pete Rodriguez, Doc Watkins, Ed Smith, Carter Arrington and Bill Watrous. During his time in San Antonio, Francis performed extensively with Doc Watkins, including a date at Carnegie Hall, which resulted in the album Swingin from San Antonio.