Recognizing Pride Month and the Legacy of Billy Strayhorn
Music has always been the powerful heartbeat driving civil rights advancements for the LGBTQIA+ community. Rhythm and melody helps give a voice to the fight for authenticity.
This Pride Month, Harmony Project celebrates that brave history by shining a spotlight on an incredible composer who revolutionized American jazz while living openly and authentically during a time when doing so was very dangerous.
That visionary was Billy Strayhorn.
As a brilliant pianist and the essential creative partner to Duke Ellington, Strayhorn authored some of the most iconic melodies in American history, including “Take the A Train” and “Lush Life”. He infused jazz with classical sophistication and complex emotional depth, forever altering the trajectory of the genre. What makes his legacy even more profound is that Strayhorn navigated the mid-century music industry as an openly gay man, refusing to hide his identity even when society demanded invisibility.
Billy Strayhorn conducting and leading a recording session.
Through immense creativity and passion, Strayhorn proved that artistic innovation thrives when we embrace our true selves. His courage opened doors for future generations of musicians to live and create without fear. True mastery always has to have the element of authenticity.
Billy Strayhorn smiling with famous musician, Duke Ellington.
At Harmony Project, we honor this legacy by providing a safe space where all children can discover their unique creative voices. By studying music trailblazers, our students learn that music is not just about mastering an instrument, it is a powerful tool for self-expression and community building.
About Harmony Project:
Harmony Project is a nonprofit that provides high-quality music instruction and social support to children year-round at no cost throughout community hubs in Los Angeles. As one of Los Angeles’ largest music education organizations, Harmony Project is dedicated exclusively to serving children from low-income families and under-resourced communities. Harmony Project envisions a world in which all students have equal access to opportunities to learn how to play music and the resources needed to thrive in college and beyond. Harmony Project’s holistic approach to student success has resulted in impressive outcomes with 98 percent of the graduating high school class accepted to a college or university during the 2024-2025 academic year.