Burleigh at the National Conservatory of Music
This chapter focuses on Harry T. Burleigh's study at the National Conservatory of Music in New York City. It begins with a background on the National Conservatory of Music, founded by music philanthropist Jeannette Thurber. Her school became a magnet for talented music students from across the nation. Its faculty included some of the most renowned musicians in the United States and Europe, and it modeled principles for postsecondary music education that attracted Harry, particularly the openness to African Americans as well as women and handicapped students. The chapter also discusses the difficulty experienced by Burleigh before he won a four-year tuition scholarship for the Artist's Course at the National Conservatory of Music. Finally, it considers the influence of African American soprano Sissieretta Jones on Burleigh's early recital career.