Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Born August 15, 1875, British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor blended late-Romantic classical traditions with African-diasporic influences. His musical journey began with violin lessons from his grandfather, who recognized his extraordinary talent, leading to a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music by age 15. In his lifetime, Coleridge-Taylor composed many acclaimed orchestral, chamber, vocal, and violin works and made three successful tours of the United States. He embraced his heritage and set out to integrate elements African music with the classical tradition, collaborating with African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar and Henry Francis Downing, an African-American playwright.