In Collaboration with Florence Price and Margaret Bonds

KSOM Guest Artist Series

A Black History Month Event

Celebrating Women of the Chicago Black Renaissance

Featuring the Estella Duo: Lydia Bangura, soprano (and NAU alum, 2019) & Mira Walker, piano

Wednesday | February 11 | 7:30 PM | Kitt Recital Hall

Also Available streaming:

https://www.youtube.com/@NAU-Virtual-Stage

Join this singer-pianist duo, celebrating the musical legacy of Florence Price (1887 or 1888–1953) and Margaret Bonds (1913–1972) by exploring their relationship as friends and professional collaborators. The program features spirituals, art songs, piano works, and other pieces by these two Black American women, whose compositions significantly contributed to the development of the American sound in the 20th century. We aim to understand and contextualize Price and Bonds not only as composers, but as important members of the Chicago Black Renaissance.

#CALisMusic #CALisCOmmunity #BlackHistoryMonth #CelebrateWomen #LydiaBangura #MiraWalker #KittSchoolOfMusic

Musician BIOS:

American pianist Mira Walker is known for her sensitive interpretations of repertoire ranging from J.S. Bach to Florence Price, her research on historically underrepresented composers, and her dedication to community outreach through music. She is currently a D.M.A. candidate in Piano Pedagogy and Performance at the University of Michigan, under the instruction of Logan Skelton. Mira holds an MM in Piano Performance from Indiana University and a BA in Music from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her honors include First Prize in the NANM and NFMC Piano Competitions. Other recognitions include Finalist in the Tureck International Bach Competition, Farwell Winner in the MCW Music Competition, and winner of the Southern Adventist University and Alabama Symphony Concerto Competitions. Mira has appeared as a soloist with the Alabama Symphony and the National Ukrainian Symphony and is an active soloist and chamber musician. She is a member of Estella Duo with soprano Lydia Bangura, currently embarking on a national tour featuring music by Florence Price and Margaret Bonds. In 2026, Mira will release her first album featuring women composers of the Chicago Black Renaissance and perform Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 2 with the Ann Arbor Symphony.

Lydia Bangura is a soprano and a doctoral candidate in music theory at the University of Michigan, currently researching the spirituals and art songs of Florence Price. She also holds a bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University and a master’s degree from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, both in vocal performance. A lifelong music performer, Bangura additionally has ten years of experience as a violist, and enjoys singing art song, chamber works, spirituals, and oratorio. She was recently the recipient of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Dillard Scholar Award (2023) and selected as the winner of the Fifth-Year Classical Treble division of the Michigan NATS competition (2024, 2025). She is one half of Estella Duo alongside pianist Mira Walker, and the group is embarking on their debut concert tour in early 2026. Her recent operatic roles include the Mother in Humperdinck’s Hansel und Gretel, Pamina in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, and the solo soprano in Judith Weir’s one woman show, King Harald's Saga.

Estella Duo was formed in 2025 by Soprano Lydia Bangura and Pianist Mira Walker. The two met while conducting dissertation research for their respective degrees at the University of Michigan. Bangura is a candidate for the PhD in Music Theory, and Walker is a candidate for the DMA in Piano Pedagogy and Performance. The two discovered a shared interest in the work of Florence Price and Margaret Bonds through their research efforts at the Center for Black Music Research in Chicago. Price and Bonds were close friends and collaborators during their lifetimes, and Estella Duo seeks to honor and continue this legacy of inspiration found in both friendship and musical collaboration. In programming, Estella Duo explores a wide range of art songs, arias, and spirituals, and enjoys engaging with audiences by providing musical and historical context along the way. In particular, the Duo is passionate about programming the repertoire of American Women composers across different time periods and styles. Most recently, Estella Duo was selected as Semi-Finalists in the Federation of the Art Song Fellowship competition at the Manhattan School of Music. Upcoming performances in 2026 include recitals at the Cascade Song Festival in Seattle, WA., Northern Arizona University, North Carolina Central University, and more.