Acclaimed classical saxophonist Steven Banks has a wish that drives him: he wants Black people to feel welcome in the concert hall. He will embody that mission as the featured soloist for “Diaspora,” performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra on February 6–7 as part of “Prokofiev and Childs: Anthems of Resilience.”
The concerto, written by Grammy Award–winning composer Billy Childs and commissioned in 2023, traces the Black American experience through sound.
“For me, the purpose of this piece was to connect with the Black community — not just to perform for them, but to make sure they know this music is for them,” Banks said. “Classical music has always had the capacity to tell our stories, even if those stories haven’t always been programmed or uplifted.”
To help fulfill that vision, Banks founded the Come As You Are (CAYA) Initiative, a program designed to expand access to and interest in classical music among historically underrepresented communities. He is bringing both CAYA and performances of “Diaspora” to orchestras across the country this season.
He describes CAYA as a campaign — one that begins with meeting people where they are. In each city, he goes into the community to “remove as many barriers as possible,” starting with simply making sure people know the performance is happening.
“Whether it’s free tickets, helping with transportation, or just telling them the story of the music,” Banks said. “I love to go out and give people a heads up about what to expect.”
The concerto unfolds in three movements, each inspired by Black literary voices and historical realities. The opening movement, “Motherland,” draws from a poem by Nayyirah Waheed, personifying Africa as a grieving mother whose children have been taken. Musically, it begins with rhythmic, dance-like textures that evoke joy and innocence before gradually unraveling.
“It’s meant to sound almost childlike at first,” Banks explained, “before that world starts to fracture.”
The second movement, “If We Must Die,” takes its title from Claude McKay’s defiant poem of resistance. Here, the music becomes confrontational and angular, filled with complex rhythms and tension between soloist and orchestra.
“It feels like a battle,” Banks said. “There’s anger there — righteous anger — and the piece gives space to express it.”
The final movement, “And Still Our Eyes in Wonder,” gestures toward reflection and possibility. Inspired by St. Louis’ own Maya Angelou’s poem “And Still I Rise,” it includes a moment where Banks performs in duet with the piano — an intentional echo of Black church traditions, where hymns are shared intimately between soloist and accompanist.
What makes “Diaspora” particularly powerful, Banks notes, is its refusal to present the Black experience as singular or static.
“If you listened to the beginning of the piece and then jumped 15 minutes ahead, you might not even realize it’s the same work,” he said. “That’s intentional. Our story has many sounds.”
That breadth mirrors Banks’ own experience performing the piece nationwide. Each performance, he says, is emotionally demanding — physically exhausting and spiritually charged. At times, he has dedicated performances to victims of police brutality or to communities grappling with collective trauma.
“There are moments where you can release things — anger, grief — in a constructive way,” Banks said. “When a thousand people are experiencing that together, it opens the door to healing.”
Banks’ career reflects the diversity of Black musical expression. Though many still associate the saxophone primarily with jazz, he has built his artistic home firmly within classical music.
That path felt natural as soon as the Winston-Salem, North Carolina native discovered it. After growing up immersed in church music and school band programs, he encountered classical saxophone in a transformative way during high school. Hearing his teacher perform the instrument in a classical context was a revelation.
“From the very first note, my ears perked up,” Banks recalled. “I had never heard anything like it. I just knew this was what I wanted to do.”
Another formative influence came from witnessing Black excellence in classical music firsthand — particularly through recordings of pianist André Watts, one of the first internationally celebrated Black classical soloists. Listening to Watts perform Franz Liszt’s “Sonata in B minor” became a daily ritual for Banks during his student years. It was a source of validation and resolve in a space where representation was sparse.
Banks knows that many Black audiences have been conditioned to feel that classical spaces are not meant for them. CAYA is his way of dismantling that myth.
“I just want to tell the story of the music ahead of time, so people feel welcomed instead of intimidated.”
He hopes “Diaspora” lands as both affirmation and possibility for St. Louis audiences.
“I want Black people to feel a sense of ownership over this music,” he said. “To come into the hall and feel like this belongs to them — because it does.”
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will present Prokofiev and Childs: Anthems of Resilience featuring Steven Banks on February 6–7 at Powell Symphony Hall inside the Jack C. Taylor Music Center. For more information, visit www.slso.org