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Outlook: The beatboxing cellist making music out of family history

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Gary Washington playing cello

16/12/2023 GMT

The beatboxing cellist making music out of family history

BBC World Service - Outlook, The beatboxing cellist making music out of family history

How US cellist Gary Washington turned a painful history of slavery into a symphony

Gary Washington always knew his ancestors in South Carolina had been enslaved. It took a move to Manchester, UK, to help him turn their histories into an epic work for orchestra.

Gary Washington’s family always knew their ancestors in South Carolina had been enslaved, but they were too busy dealing with challenges in the present to give the past much thought. Gary found solace and comfort in his passion for the cello as a child and, despite a chaotic family life, eventually found a way to study it full time, developing a unique style which sometimes includes beatboxing. Then, as a touring musician, he visited Manchester in the UK and discovered its connections with slavery. Realising the cotton his ancestors had picked contributed to the city’s wealth spurred Gary on to research his family’s history in more depth. He turned what he discovered into an epic work for orchestra, A Story of A People Called Black. 

Presenter: Eric Mugaju
Producer: Laura Thomas

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Gary Washington playing cello. Credit: Gary Washington)

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