Mission
Sugar Hill Salon is one of the first chamber music series and artistic collectives that centers on black and brown woodwind artistry in classical music. We are a black and queer-owned organization that offers free public concerts in Harlem that showcase wind repertoire that lacks representation within "traditional" chamber programming along with uplifting black and brown musicians performing them. Through commissioning chamber works and monthly concerts featuring artists on the scene, Sugar Hill Salon is decolonizing classical music for a more equitable future for black and brown communities.
About Us
“Sugar Hill Salon first came to mind when I walked the Black Heritage Trail in Boston. The trail highlights many of the buildings in which abolitionists gathered and used to create safe spaces to fight for equal rights. On this trail, I slowly realize how all of this social justice work intersects and meets in the home. Abolitionists were utilizing their own dining rooms, living rooms, and hidden spaces to not only create sanctuary, but a future. I couldn’t get this out of my head with all the racial tension going on summer 2020 and was trying to figure out how I could also use my own space in creating equity as a classical musician of color. It hit me, that I too could use my own space to support, uplift, and connect black and brown musicians and composers.
This chamber music series began as a live-stream series in my dining room, which is a part of the vibrant black history of Harlem NY in an apartment building called “The Dunbar”, named after the African American poet, novelist, and playwright Paul Laurence Dunbar. The building has housed many prominent black community members such as W.E.B. Du Bois and Matthew Henson. We provided free and accessible live-streamed concerts with the option of suggested donation. This series is run solely based on the donations provided to us throughout the season and through fundraising campaigns.
Sugar Hill Salon is one of the first chamber music series that centers black and brown artistry first in classical music and allows everyone to take space. To me, chamber music is the place where social justice work can actually happen. It’s a musical form that stems from a grassroots mentality where you have the ability to not only choose the musicians and music you play, but also curate programs that allow you to have those conversations in concert. Art should be a reflection of who we are, our culture, our influences, and our stories. I have always been drawn to chamber music for most of my musical career and strive to make it my life’s work. I want to see more representation of race, sexuality, gender, politics, and more in chamber music because it is meant for this. Every single concert we perform includes black and brown musicians and composers with the knowledge that diversity is necessary to showcase.”
- Founder and Artistic Director,
Alexander Davis