A welcome homecoming to U. of C.’s Logan Center

A few years ago, Norman Malone made a bit of music history at the University of Chicago’s Logan Center for the Arts: He played the world premiere of “Norman Malone’s Rag,” which he commissioned from ragtime piano genius and MacArthur Fellowship winner Reginald Robinson.

On Nov. 19, 2021, Norman returned to the Logan to mark another milestone: the Hyde Park premiere of “For the Left Hand,” after which Norman played a mini-recital. This was a high-pressure appearance for Norman, since it was taking place in his neighborhood, the house filled with friends and neighbors. Though Norman always says he’s quite nervous before performing, he turned in one of his most convincing performances to date, offering music by Ravel, Bach, Bach/Brahms and, of course, Robinson.

When it came time for the Q-and-A portion of the evening, something happened that has occurred at every Chicago-area screening: people in the audience stood up to say they had been Norman’s students 20, 30, 40 years ago.

This time, the most eloquent reflections came from Dr. Victoria Titus-Washington, who told the crowd she’d never forgotten having Norman as her music teacher more than 50 years ago.

“The year was 1969, and I was an eighth grader at Frank L. Gillespie Upper Grade Center, located on the South Side of Chicago,” she said later in an email.

“I was assigned to the first row in our classroom. Consequently, I had a chance to watch upfront and center as Mr. Malone ably taught a group of anxious and sometimes unruly middle-school students. I remember him to be absolutely NO NONSENSE! I also was intrigued with the fact that he played the piano with one hand, yet I never got a sense that it was in any way an impediment to his mission of teaching what had to be taught. What I remember the most are the following three songs that we learned: ‘Climb Every Mountain,’ ‘You Never Walk Alone’ and ‘Johnny My Boy.’

“Interestingly, just a few days prior to attending the ‘For the Left Hand’ documentary, my thought drifted to the words of ‘Climb Every Mountain’ and ‘Never Walk Alone.’ Both songs exemplify his life, and the lives of those who have triumphed over the perils of darkness. … I speak with gratitude from my heart that I have had the opportunity to experience the tenacity of resilience in this soul that is known as Norman Malone.”

More images from Norman Malone’s return to U. of C.’s Logan Center for the Arts.

All photos courtesy of Zbigniew Bzdak.