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A Concerto Is a Conversation

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description A Concerto Is a Conversation Overview

A Concerto Is a Conversation is a 2021 American documentary short film co-directed by Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers. The film centers on a deeply personal intergenerational conversation between Bowers, an acclaimed composer and pianist, and his 91-year-old grandfather. Through their dialogue, they explore their family's history, tracing a journey from the Jim Crow-era South to modern-day Hollywood. The documentary was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject at the 93rd Academy Awards.

help A Concerto Is a Conversation FAQ

Who is having the conversation in A Concerto Is a Conversation?

Composer and pianist Kris Bowers speaks with his grandfather, Horace Bowers Sr. Their conversation links the grandfather's experience as a Black businessman with Kris's path toward composing a violin concerto.

What concerto is Kris Bowers writing in the film?

The documentary follows Bowers as he prepares his violin concerto For a Younger Self. The work was written for violinist Charles Yang and reflects on memory, identity, and different stages of life.

Who directed A Concerto Is a Conversation?

Kris Bowers co-directed the short with filmmaker Ben Proudfoot. The film was released through The New York Times Op-Docs and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Short Subject.

How does the film connect Jim Crow history with Hollywood music?

Horace Bowers Sr. recounts leaving the Jim Crow South and building a dry-cleaning business in Los Angeles. His story is intercut with Kris Bowers's career as a composer whose credits include Green Book and Bridgerton.

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