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Noble Productions Selects “Florence” Film Music Contest Winner Fred Onovwerosuoke of St. Louis
Fred Onovwerosuoke of FredOMusic, Inc. Hear his music on YouTube.
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(January 8, 2024) Producers of the film-in-development, “Florence,” announced the selection of Fred Onovwerosuoke, a St. Louis composer, as the winner of the Florence B. Price Film Music Competition.
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As a composer, Onovwerosuoke’s influences are wide and varied. He is as much at home discussing Beethoven, Debussy, and Stravinsky as he is African and American traditional music.
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Onovwerosuoke’s works have been featured in audio recordings, films, documentaries, and radio, including Robert De Niro’s film, The Good Shepherd. His numerous awards include multiple ASCAP Awards, American Music Center Award, Meet-The-Composer Award, and Brannen-Cooper Brothers Award. His book, Songs of Africa: 22 Pieces for Mixed Voices, published by Oxford University Press, quickly became a favorite among choral directors across the globe. Onovwerosuoke’s Twenty-four Studies in African Rhythms (AM Publishers) is one of the most-demanded African rhythm-influenced piano studies.
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Known to his friends as “FredO,” he serves on the boards of various professional music organizations and maintains an active schedule as composer-in-residence, guest conductor, and speaker about art music by African descent composers.
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Screenwriter Glenford Noble and a team of independent producers launched the competition last June to discover talented composers for the score of the movie "Florence."
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"Florence" aims to increase awareness of the remarkable life and accomplishments of Florence B. Price, America's first Black female classical composer. The recently discovered extensive body of work by Price, consisting of over 300 orchestral compositions, has left an indelible mark on the world of classical music.
The "Florence" project is currently in search of executive producers and artist attachments that can bring this inspiring story to a global audience.
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“We are thrilled to find a composer like “FredO,” who our judges determined will be invaluable in capturing the essence and spirit of Florence’s musical legacy. He is breaking ground in his own right. It’s just amazing how this all came together for the good of the project,” said Karen Walwyn, who served as chair of the competition committee.
Walwyn is a Professor of Piano at Berklee College of Music and a Florence Price scholar. She was featured in a PBS documentary that aired in April 2022.
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Noble, an Australian-based actor and producer of Jamaican heritage, said he believes Price’s story will resonate with global audiences because it shows the determination of creators to realize their calling despite challenges. Price also collaborated with Black American female composer Margaret Bonds and iconic vocalist Marian Anderson.
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“We consider this film project to be the ‘Hidden Figures’ of classical music in America,” said Noble.
The judging panel, composed of industry experts and renowned musicians, evaluated submissions from classical composers based in the U.S., Germany, and India. The judges evaluated blind submissions and applied a rigorous scoring system for each sample series based on creativity, originality, and the ability to evoke emotion.
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About Noble Productions:
Noble Productions is an independent film production company dedicated to creating meaningful and impactful stories that resonate with audiences globally. Led by visionary screenwriter Glenford Noble, the company aims to push the boundaries of storytelling and bring unique experiences to the theatrical screen.
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For media inquiries, contact:
Lisa Bass Cooper, Publicist
eMediaProse LLC
lbcooper@emediaprose.com
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For project inquiries, contact:
Stacey Alphonso, Producer
Red Window Entertainment
production@florence-movie.com
