Project Genesis
Donation protected
TL,DR
Simply put, Nikoyle Noel is a music duo that consists of Da'Kneisha Nikoyle Blount and Justin Noel Hall. Our instruments are voice and piano, and we perform a fusion of hip-hop and classical music. Lastly, we want to get to a position where we can hold concerts and use a portion of the proceeds to fund scholarships for young Black musicians covering their cost of buying instruments, paying for private lessons and college audition fees, etc.
A Little About Us
Da'Kneisha Nikoyle Blount will be completing her Bachelors Degree in Opera Performance from Kansas City Kansas Community College in 2021. She also attended Emporia State University and Wichita State University during the completion of her degree. Da'Kneisha has been singing for 30 years at her home church of Grace Tabernacle. She's performed in plays such as Cinderella, Little Shop of Horrors, and as Vita in Gianni Schicchi for a 2019 Tour through Spain and Portugal.
Justin Noel Hall graduated from Wichita State University with a Masters Degree in Music Performance in 2019. He's worked as the Assistant Drumline Instructor at Derby High School for nine seasons since 2009. Justin has also been the music director at Holy Savior Catholic Church since 2014, and been singing with the Gospel Choir since 2009.
The Full Story
There’s a conversation going on within the classical music community that concerns itself with the lack of racial and gender diversity with personnel both on and off stage. Although women have made significant strides as conductors, musicians and composers, we’re not seeing enough music written by Black composers played by orchestras and chamber groups.
In a system that continues to place the music of 18th-century European musicians in the forefront, we’ve chosen to compose and perform original works of art that share Black stories told from Black perspectives to relate classical music to Black audiences and foster a desire to study music amongst young black students. Think of this as Tupac meets Bach...
This is a way for us to reach the minds of Black kids who may have never thought of picking up an instrument, perhaps a violin or piano, but because of the connection to music they listen to and the music their parents listen to, we can begin that dialogue and entertain the possibility of these students being "classical" musicians. I use classical in quotations because the aim isn't to foster Black kids that play only traditional classical music, but also learn how to improvise, play jazz and r&b, and use the fullness of their lived experience in their playing and expression.
Through this project, we will create scholarships for young musicians to provide them instruments, cover the cost of private lessons, pay for college audition fees, etc. However, we need your help to do so.
In addition to our GoFundMe campaign, please take a look at our Patreon to support us monthly. You can subscribe as a patron and contribute $250, $500 or $1,000 which allows you to receive an Associate Producer, Producer or Executive Producer credit in our music videos!
Together, let us inspire and cultivate the next generation of “classical” musicians.
Social Media
Patreon | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube
#tupacmeetsbach
Simply put, Nikoyle Noel is a music duo that consists of Da'Kneisha Nikoyle Blount and Justin Noel Hall. Our instruments are voice and piano, and we perform a fusion of hip-hop and classical music. Lastly, we want to get to a position where we can hold concerts and use a portion of the proceeds to fund scholarships for young Black musicians covering their cost of buying instruments, paying for private lessons and college audition fees, etc.
A Little About Us
Da'Kneisha Nikoyle Blount will be completing her Bachelors Degree in Opera Performance from Kansas City Kansas Community College in 2021. She also attended Emporia State University and Wichita State University during the completion of her degree. Da'Kneisha has been singing for 30 years at her home church of Grace Tabernacle. She's performed in plays such as Cinderella, Little Shop of Horrors, and as Vita in Gianni Schicchi for a 2019 Tour through Spain and Portugal.
Justin Noel Hall graduated from Wichita State University with a Masters Degree in Music Performance in 2019. He's worked as the Assistant Drumline Instructor at Derby High School for nine seasons since 2009. Justin has also been the music director at Holy Savior Catholic Church since 2014, and been singing with the Gospel Choir since 2009.
The Full Story
There’s a conversation going on within the classical music community that concerns itself with the lack of racial and gender diversity with personnel both on and off stage. Although women have made significant strides as conductors, musicians and composers, we’re not seeing enough music written by Black composers played by orchestras and chamber groups.
In a system that continues to place the music of 18th-century European musicians in the forefront, we’ve chosen to compose and perform original works of art that share Black stories told from Black perspectives to relate classical music to Black audiences and foster a desire to study music amongst young black students. Think of this as Tupac meets Bach...
This is a way for us to reach the minds of Black kids who may have never thought of picking up an instrument, perhaps a violin or piano, but because of the connection to music they listen to and the music their parents listen to, we can begin that dialogue and entertain the possibility of these students being "classical" musicians. I use classical in quotations because the aim isn't to foster Black kids that play only traditional classical music, but also learn how to improvise, play jazz and r&b, and use the fullness of their lived experience in their playing and expression.
Through this project, we will create scholarships for young musicians to provide them instruments, cover the cost of private lessons, pay for college audition fees, etc. However, we need your help to do so.
In addition to our GoFundMe campaign, please take a look at our Patreon to support us monthly. You can subscribe as a patron and contribute $250, $500 or $1,000 which allows you to receive an Associate Producer, Producer or Executive Producer credit in our music videos!
Together, let us inspire and cultivate the next generation of “classical” musicians.
Social Media
Patreon | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube
#tupacmeetsbach
Fundraising team: Nikoyle Noel (2)
Justin Hall
Organizer
Wichita, KS
Dakneisha Beard
Team member