U.S. Department of State

09/16/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/16/2024 12:48

U.S. Global Music Ambassador Denyce Graves Travel to France

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U.S. Global Music Ambassador Denyce Graves Travel to France

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

September 16, 2024

The U.S. Department of State announced today that globally renowned mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves will continue her public service as a U.S. Global Music Ambassador by traveling to Paris, France, to engage with audiences on September 18 in support of the U.S. Mission to UNESCO.

Denyce Graves has graced nearly all major opera houses and concert stages across the globe during her illustrious, four-decade-long career. As the Artistic Director and Founder of the Denyce Graves Foundation, she leads an organization dedicated to promoting equity and inclusion in American classical vocal arts through a pioneering approach. The Foundation honors overlooked musical figures from the past while elevating young artists of exceptional talent from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, Graves has served as a cultural ambassador for the United States, representing the nation with her artistry and leadership.

The U.S. Global Music Ambassadors are the centerpiece of the State Department-YouTube Global Music Partnership, which was announced by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and YouTube's Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen earlier this year. Spanning genres of music and generations of people, U.S. Global Music Ambassadors build on the legacy of the iconic U.S. Jazz Ambassadors of the 1950s and 1960s and use their music to bring people together and promote peace worldwide on behalf of the American people.

To learn more about the Department's global music diplomacy efforts, visit www.state.gov/music-diplomacy or contact [email protected].