Portrait donated to Camden of major Black composer

Born in Camden in 1875, Coleridge-Taylor is generally regarded as the foremost Black British classical music composer of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The painting has been donated by artist Judith Booth and was celebrated with an evening of music and talks on October 11, part of Camden's Black History Season.

A portrait of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (Image: Judith Booth)

Councillor Sabrina Francis, cabinet member for young people and culture, said: "Thank you to Judith Booth for donating this portrait, we are delighted to be able to help raise awareness of such an important figure in in Camden’s history. It’s a great addition to our collection at the Local Studies and Archives Centre and I hope many visitors will pause to read his inspirational story.

Coleridge-Taylor's musical talent was apparent from an early age and when he was 15 he started studying at the Royal College of Music.

He was heavily influenced by his African ancestry, and he drew inspiration from traditional African music. Despite facing racism throughout his career, he toured the United States and met President Theodore Roosevelt in the White House – a rare occurrence at the time for someone of African descent.

The event at the local studies centre, at Holborn Library, featured a talk by Hilary Burrage, chair of the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Foundation, as well as a performance of Coleridge-Taylor’s works by Richard Gordon-Smith and Martin Anthony Burrage.