This week on The Local Take, I reached out to Doug Hooker about the upcoming premiere performance of Without Regards. Without Regards is a symphony inspired by a local photographer Andrew Feiler's book Without Regards to Sex, Race, and Color. His book focuses on the struggles of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. His second book, A Better Life for Children, focused on the Rosenwald Schools, a Jewish philanthropist created to educate Black children in the south. While Doug Hooker is well known in our city as an executive leading the Atlanta Regional Commission, today, we speak with him as a composer.
I asked Hooker about the books by local photographer Andrew Feiler that inspired him to write a symphony. Hooker speaks about the first book, which focused on the unnecessary struggles experienced by Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Responsible for 25% of all African-American college graduates, the institutions should be better funded and held in higher esteem. Hooker also speaks to the second book about the Rosenwald Schools. Hooker was not familiar with this history until he discovered the book.
An engineer in his day job, I asked how the two languages of his life combined to create a composer. He speaks about the connection between music and math. He advises parents not to forget about music, the universal language. Music helps with brain development, and Hooker was lucky to play various instruments in his youth before falling in love with the oboe.
The symphony will take place on Sunday, February 6th, at the Ferst Center for the Arts at Georgia Tech as part of the Trey Clegg Singers Annual Black History Concert Celebrating The Music of African American Composers. You can find information about tickets here.
For more information on Doug Hooker
For more information on the Without Regards Symphony
For more information on the Atlanta Regional Commission