{"id":163524,"date":"2026-03-14T21:16:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T21:16:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/163524\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T21:16:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T21:16:10","slug":"d-c-s-string-queens-reflect-on-women-in-music-ahead-of-return-to-nations-capitol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/163524\/","title":{"rendered":"D.C.\u2019s String Queens reflect on women in music ahead of return to nation\u2019s capitol"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com<\/a><\/p>\n

As part of Women\u2019s History Month, which highlights generations of women who have broken barriers and shaped arts and culture, the D.C.-based trio String Queens spoke with AFRO News about their role as Black women in music.<\/p>\n

\"\"String Queens\u2014cellist \u00c9lise Sharp (left), violinist Kendall Isadore and violist Dawn Johnson\u2014perform a blend of classical, jazz and contemporary music, honoring their roots and inspiring audiences through powerful storytelling. Photo Credit: Courtesy photo<\/p>\n

Violinist Kendall Isadore, violist Dawn Johnson and cellist \u00c9lise Sharp emphasized the importance of sisterhood, mentorship and representation in a field traditionally dominated by men.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve developed ourselves into very empathetic educators and musicians,\u201d said Johnson, 40. \u201cBuilding relationships with people from all walks of life contributes to our sound, our friendship and our camaraderie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isadore, an only child, shared how their sisterhood works in practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving big sisters is something I\u2019ve always wanted. I can call each of them at any time of the day or night, and they can call me,\u201d said Isadore, 38. \u201cThe bond is forever.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

From performing for former presidents to sharing stages with top artists and conductors, the String Queens\u2019 nearly nine year journey has been as varied and vibrant as their arrangements.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Throughout their careers, as individuals and as a group, String Queens have had opportunities to collaborate with big artists such as Andra Day, Common and Jennifer Hudson, and worked with the late great conductor Mstislav Rostropovich.<\/p>\n

They have also performed at a number of important events including a special performance dedicated to Vice President Kamala Harris at the \u201cWe Are One\u201d Presidential Inauguration Concert in January 2021. They have also frequently appeared at the D.C. Jazz Festival and the Capital Jazz Fest.<\/p>\n

All are current or former music educators in D.C. or Maryland and have earned top honors both individually and as a group, including the D.C. Jazz Festival\u2019s 2022 Jazz Education Award and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra\u2019s Aspire Award in 2020. They continue to push boundaries, using their instruments to tell stories that resonate across generations.<\/p>\n

Together, they are known for blending Baroque, Jazz Age and contemporary styles into performances that are both soulful and powerful.<\/p>\n

Throughout their work they find intentional ways to honor the Black women that came before them and Black history.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is Black, Black, Black,\u201d said Isadore. \u201cEvery song, every expression\u2026 so much of our repertoire pays homage to the people who have come before us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson highlighted a song they perform called \u201cA Woman\u2019s Place is in the Groove,\u201d previously played by notable Black women musicians such as jazz violinist Regina Carter, inspired by Ginger Smock and bassist Vivian Gary.<\/p>\n

Sharp, 52, said she feels humbled to represent Black women in music.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m honored to be a part of the conversation of Black influence,\u201d she added. \u201cHonored to be a part of a group like the String Queens and to be able to inspire and lend the talents that we have, the gifts that we have to uplift the next generation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Johnson said the trio plans to expand their reach internationally.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are very spiritual people,\u201d she said. \u201cThe foundation of everything we do is rooted in our faith. It\u2019s only up from here in the next nine years with continued faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

The group is currently touring with shows across the country, their next stops will be at the Miramar Cultural Center in Miramar, Fla. on March 10 and the Safe Shores 30th Anniversary Celebration on April 21 in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

Within that time, they hope to share their message of love, peace, inspiration and hope with audiences around the world, carrying forward the legacy of Black women in music.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Tashi McQueenAFRO Staff Writertmcqueen@afro.com As part of Women\u2019s History Month, which highlights generations of women who have…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":163525,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[67404,26229,67405,67406,37049,67407,67408,9,24,63,122,124,123,67409,67410],"class_list":["post-163524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-queens","tag-andra-day","tag-common","tag-dawn-johnson","tag-elise-sharp","tag-jennifer-hudson","tag-kendall-isadore","tag-mstislav-rostropovich","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-queens","tag-queens-headlines","tag-queens-news","tag-string-queens","tag-vice-president-kamala-harris"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=163524"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163524\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/163525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=163524"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=163524"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=163524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}