Orchestra Noir celebrating decade of creating space for Black musicians on stage

Ten years ago, Orchestra Noir was little more than an idea shared by a husband and wife who moved to Atlanta with a love of music and a desire to create something they didn't see often on the orchestral stage.

Today, the Atlanta-based orchestra is celebrating a decade of performances, education, and community connection while giving audiences a different way to experience orchestral music in the city and around the world.

Co-founders and husband and wife Jason and Keisha Rodgers said the idea for Orchestra Noir came together after they moved to Atlanta from Philadelphia.  Both have backgrounds in music education and performance and said they knew someday they wanted to build something of their own.

After attending a holiday gala hosted by 100 Black Men of Atlanta Inc., the couple said they were struck by the energy, elegance, and sense of community they experienced that night.  

"We kind of got the idea right there on that spot," Jason Rodgers said. "I think that night, I said 'Orchestra Noir.'"

He said the vision was also shaped by his own experience studying and working in classical music, when he was often one of the few Black people in orchestral settings.

"You don't see us on the orchestral stage a lot," Jason Rodgers said. "And I think it is because of a lack of exposure."

The couple said they wanted to create a space where young Black musicians would be inspired and could see musicians who look like them.

That representation is part of what Renita Humphrey said makes Orchestra Noir meaningful to her.  Humphrey, the longest-standing member of the orchestra, is a classically trained musician who began playing at age 8 and spent roughly four decades as a music education teacher before she retired from DeKalb County Schools.  

The time she spent teaching in schools and mentoring with Orchestra Noir is some of the most impactful work of her life, she said.

"My goal has also been to bring what was taught in the classroom to another level," Humphrey explained.

She still owns the instrument given to her by her high school teacher. Decades later, she said she could not be prouder to belong to a group that's exposing Atlantans to a unique sound. She said she thinks perhaps the best part is doing what she loves for an audience in her hometown and city she loves with all of her heart.

Orchestra Noir's anniversary tour recently began. It comes to Atlanta on Nov. 20 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center.