Lara Downes

With help from a sisterhood of musicians, the Canadian singer-songwriter and activist has triumphed over trauma to become a distinguished figure on the Americana scene.

The Columbia University professor and New York Times columnist traces the intersecting lines of race and music in American history.

Gathering music, new and old, from around the world, the thoughtful pianist finds the core of humanity amid the chaos.

With a piano draped in spring flowers, Lara Downes plays a smart set of music, new and old, that offers the power of renewal.

The collection of 24 songs features the works of composers from Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Greece, Iran, Kenya, and the Netherlands, to name a few.

NPR's Leila Fadel talks to pianist Lara Downes about her interview series Amplify, which examines how Black artists today might find themselves in a new cultural renaissance.

Downes argues that Joplin should be known as more than just the 'King of Ragtime.'

On her new album, "Reflections: Scott Joplin Reconsidered," pianist Lara Downes shares 17 Joplin compositions in fresh arrangements.

Scott Joplin was born in Texas and became one of the most famous musicians in America by the turn of the century, only to die penniless and forgotten in 1917. His story is told on TPR Classical's African American Voices series.

The king of ragtime published his hit tune 120 years ago. Pianist Lara Downes believes the piece helped shape the future of American music.