Nia Imani Franklin to Perform Concert of Works From Debut EP, EXTENDED

Chris Grymes and Open G Series will present composer, performer and 2019 Miss America Nia Imani Franklin in a concert featuring works from her debut EP, Extended, along with new and recent music by her fellow contemporary women composers. Works will run the gamut from classical abstraction to contemporary pop and R&B, all personally selected and curated by Franklin to represent the varied cast of composers, many of whom have inspired her own creative life.

Nia Franklin was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and lived in the state through graduate school. She earned an undergraduate degree in Composition from East Carolina University and a master's in Fine Arts from The University of North Carolina's School of the Arts. Shortly after, Nia was awarded a Kenan Fellowship at New York's Lincoln Center Education and made the move to New York City. Nia was crowned Miss Five Boroughs at the age of 24, went on to win Miss New York in 2018 and was awarded the job of Miss America 2019 on September 9, 2018.

Nia has been a teacher and a music mentor. She has written over 100 songs. Her gospel singing background in church contributed to her love for music at a young age, with her first song composed at the age of five. For the Miss America 2019 competition, Franklin sang "Quando m'en vo'" from Puccini's La Boheme, wowing audiences and judges alike. With a mastery of styles ranging from R&B to western classical, Nia Imani Franklin's soulful and eclectic music is a true joy to hear.

Program:

Nia Imani Franklin: Afro-dite

Missy Mazzoli: Beyond the Order of Things

Tomeka Reid: Volplaning

Nia Imani Franklin: like air, rising high

Nia Imani Franklin: Burgundy in Autumn

Jessie Montgomery: Strum

Nia Imani Franklin: Endsun

Nia Imani Franklin: Manhattan Shower Thoughts

Nia Imani Franklin: Runnin' Band

Nia Imani Franklin: Ample Hills

Sato Matsui: L'Oiseau Solaire

Nia Imani Franklin: Chrysalis Extended

Musician and producer Chris Grymes is the founder of Open G Records and the curator of the Open G Series at National Sawdust. Equally at home in traditional and modern classical music, Chris is a strong proponent of exposing the process of the creation of art, commissioning and premiering many new works ranging from pieces for solo clarinet to concertos with orchestra, most recently giving the world premiere of Jeremy Gill's "Notturno Concertante" with the Harrisburg Symphony. Always striving to "pull back the curtain", Chris also writes about music and life, does podcast interviews of musicians and artists, and even livestreams his daily practice, all at opengrecords.com. Chris' first clarinet teacher was F. Edward Knakal in Virginia Beach, VA. Chris served as a tenured member of the faculty at the East Carolina University School of Music from 2001-2011. He currently lives in New York with his wife and son, Saul.

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