Western Michigan University's Lewis Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra (KSO) have partnered to present a free two-part course titled "The Phillips Brothers Orchestra," taking place Tuesday and Thursday, Apr 8 and 10 at 3:00 PM at the Douglas Community Association.
The initiative is a collaboration between Dr. Karika Ann Parker, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Lewis Walker Institute, and Liz Youker, Vice President of Artistic Operations and Education for the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. "I was so delighted when Dr. Parker reached out with an interest in exploring this topic with me," say Liz Youker in a conversation with Cara Lieurance. "It's really related to our vision which is that symphonic music is part of the daily life of our community.”
Dr. Parker explains that her initial research on Albert J White, a prominent Black brick mason in Kalamazoo, led her to the Phillips family. "For me, the history of a lot of residents in Kalamazoo is important to me because I'm born and raised here. And there are a lot of historical figures that many people do not know about.”
The Phillips family, who arrived in the Kalamazoo area in 1862 and owned a farm, produced a remarkable number of talented musicians. The Second Baptist Church played a crucial role in the community's musical life, with multiple Phillips brothers serving as music directors. Youker highlighted Gilmore as "the businessmen of the group, you know, really developing ensembles and I think handled a lot of the business end of things and helped help move some of the groups forward." Dr. Parker added that Gilmore attended the Parsons Business School, which was integrated at the time, further contributing to his business acumen.
The Phillips Brothers Orchestra was active from 1880 to 1914. Initially known as the Phillips Brothers Quartet, the ensemble evolved into a larger group, eventually becoming part of a movement to build a full symphony orchestra in Kalamazoo. "That orchestra was one of two larger symphony ensembles as the community the musicians in the community kept pushing toward creating more of a symphony orchestra as we think of it," Youker explained. "There was a movement in Kalamazoo to build the capability to perform full symphonic music."
The upcoming course aims to shed light on this vital part of Kalamazoo's history and recognize the Phillips brothers' significant contributions to the community's musical foundations. "Our communities, when we all come together, we have a vibrant history, we have a beautiful history, a musical history that a lot of people just do not know," Dr. Parker says.
Registration for the free two-part course is available at the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra website. Attendees are encouraged to sign up for both sessions but are welcome to attend just one.
