“I knew I wanted to deal with pieces of her life that may be surprising for people, that I found to be very surprising for me... She loved Bach. Her first love was Johann Sebastian Bach—who knew?” Laiona notes.
In fact, Nina had wanted to be a classical concert pianist. Just before her death, Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of Music awarded her an honorary degree. As a teenager, she had auditioned for admission to this prestigious classical music school, but was turned down—she argued due to her race. This experience echoes the historical and continued lack of diversity in the classical music world, and the lasting need for equity in the arts.
We hope you enjoy this celebration of Nina Simone.
