A Note on Contributors

Marva Cooper is cited by the "Raleigh Observer" as a superb performer who is one of the few pianists who play with a smooth legato tone so difficult to produce on an instrument that is essentially percussive," and by the "Baltimore Sun" as a pianist with "deft" fingers. Cooper holds the DMA degree in piano performance from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., the MFA degree from Ohio University, and the BM degree from Lincoln University in Missouri. As pianist and lecturer she has appeared internationally and nationally, and has distinguished herself in many collaborations at numerous universities and other venues throughout the United States including The White House, and the United States Department of State. Dr. Cooper is currently Professor of Music at the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, DC. 

Hortense R. Kerr died in May of 2002. She had held the position of Coordinator of Music Education and Associate Professor in the Department of Music at Howard University in Washington, D.C., from 1977 until her death. Highly recognized as a music educator, she served as president of several professional organizations including state and national levels. An authority on chamber music, she collaborated in numerous performances of two-piano music of African-American composers at numerous conferences and festivals in Europe and the USA. Dr. Kerr earned the BM and MM degrees at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the DMA degree from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. 

Robert Mawuena Kwami is currently Lecturer in Music Education at the University of London Institute of Education and Director of the Centre for Intercultural Music Arts. He is also editor of Intercultural Music and Intercultural Musicology. As of January 2003, Dr. Kwami will be Professor of Music in the Department of Music at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. 

Gerrit Olivier is an Associate Professor in the Department of Music at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. He has a DMus. and Diploma in Church Music from the University of Pretoria. He has won several international music prizes as a composer and composed the National Anthem of the former Republic of Venda. He has been organist in various parishes of the Dutch Reformed Church for more than 40 years. At present he is organist for the Waterkloof parish in Pretoria. He serves on the executive committee of the South African Church Organists' Association (SAKOV) and was a member of the Interdenominational Commission responsible for revising the Afrikaans Psalm Book and the Afrikaans Hymnal.