Dark Before Daybreak
Earnestine Rodgers Robinson waded through poverty, hardship, and heartache and with no formal music training. Despite this, she found her purpose and became a composer at Carnegie Hall. This is the story of how she embraced both failure and success and overcame all odds.
Authors
Earnestine Rodgers Robinson, a native of Memphis, is an acclaimed composer whose path to Carnegie Hall was an unexpected journey. Never embracing music as a youth, she spent her early adult years pursuing a degree in mathematics and philosophy. Later, in an attempt to discover her purpose, she became a computer programmer, spent years in real estate and did graduate studies in medical ethics. But a miraculous event in 1972 and a car accident years later forced her to focus on what God had given her...music. With her faith in God and without formal music training, she composes classical choral music and has forged an amazing resume. The Crucifixion, her first oratorio, received the prestigious honor of being placed in the Special Collections of the Library of Congress and appears in public, academic and special libraries across the country. Her critically acclaimed oratorios have premiered in cities across the United States, including three world premieres in New York City at the world renown Carnegie Hall and an international premiere with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra in Prague. Her story and music have resonated with people around the world.
Earnestine Robinson is the mother of five and resides in Memphis and Chicago.
Earnestine Robinson is the mother of five and resides in Memphis and Chicago.
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Todd V. Robinson. Despite earlier interests in the Arts, upon graduation from Colby College in Maine, Todd enrolled at the University of Tennessee in Memphis where he earned a combined MD PhD. After a residency in Internal Medicine, he began studying Endocrinology at the National Institutes of Health. From there, his career took a few unconventional turns when he found himself in flight school at Pensacola, Florida, becoming a flight surgeon with the U. S. Navy. After completing a tour of duty, he eventually came back to Memphis to practice medicine. It was here that Dr. Robinson soon discovered his passion-documentary film making. Taking advantage of the new wave of computer technology for filmmakers, he self taught himself and eventually produced and directed films that have aired nationally on PBS and received critical praise at several prestigious film festivals. Currently, he lives in Memphis with his wife, Ashley and their daughter, Gabrielle.