In this selection from her composition Violin Woman, African Dreams, Diane Monroe draws on her decades-long genre-defying career to craft a musical memoir that bridges jazz, classical, and traditional African music, revealing an African American violinist’s trials and triumphs. Inspired by and in collaboration with visual artist Curlee Holton, and narrated by storyteller/librettist Charlotte Blake Alston, Violin Woman, African Dreams was written for violin, banjo, bass, the West African kora, and percussion, and performed with PUBLIQuartet.

Visual art was created on stage live by artist Curlee Raven Holton.