Sylvesta "Vesta" Martin

Sylvesta Martin joined the Black Mountain student body for the Summer Music Institute of 1945 and stayed on as the first, full-time black student by the fall of 1945. There isn’t much known about Vesta aside from what can be found from her time at Black Mountain.

Martin transferred from Fisk University, where she participated in chorus and opera. Dr. John Work of Fisk University stated in a recommendation letter to the Julius Rosenwald Fund, that she was “very musical and has an extraordinary voice." In another letter from a teacher, “Dryder” from September 13, 1945, it is stated “she has always been quiet and well-behaved, a good student- an industrious one- with a great thirst for knowledge. She is a hard worker and will take advantage of every opportunity to develop her musical talent.”

In her application she shared “by attending the College I hope to learn many things both academic and social which will aid me to become a well rounded person.” Lowinsky wrote letters to Vesta’s mother to update on her progress.

He shared in an update on December 22, 1945, “Sylvesta took two music courses and piano lessons with me. She participated for the first time in an advanced course dealing with Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. It was not very easy for her to follow this course, but by her honest and hard efforts her work improved. Sylvesta was a very good student in Fundamentals of Music. She made the most surprising progress in melodic ideas, at the end of the course she did very imaginative and sustained melodic writing. She made good and steady progress in her piano studies.”

On July 9, 1946, he shared “Vesta appeared in a number of our public concerts with good success. She was a great help in the performance of the Requiem by Brahms, where she contributed not only as a member of the chorus but especially as soloist. She sang the soprano solo of the Requiem with a deep musical understanding.

Courses Taken

Music Institute 1945: Music Education with Lowinsky, A Capella Chorus with Lowinsky, Keyboard Music with Bodky, Voice with Brice, Piano, Color withAlbers, Prometheus with Zabriskie

Fall Quarter: 1945-1946: Fundamentals of Music with Lowinsky, Haydn, Mozart,Beethoven with Lowinsky, Contemporary Society with Levi, Modern Europe I with Walcott, Chorus with Lowinsky. Typing with Rondthaler

Winter Quarter: 1945-1946: Voice with Jalowetz, European History with Walcott, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven with Lowinsky, Contemporary Society with Levi, Counterpoint with Jalowetz, Chorus with Jalowetz, Piano Lessons with Lowinsky

Spring 1945-1946: Counterpoint with Lowinsky, Viennese Classical Symphony with Lowinsky, Contemporary Society with Levi, Piano with Lowinsky, Choruswith Lowinsky, Voice with Jalowetz