▁School ▁she ▁earned ▁a ▁B . M ., ▁Music ▁Education ▁and ▁Vo ice ▁from ▁Temple ▁University . ▁ ▁She ▁has ▁been ▁commission ed ▁to ▁write ▁works ▁for ▁the ▁American ▁Gu ild ▁of ▁Organ ists , ▁George ▁Sh ir ley , ▁Duke ▁Ell ington , ▁and ▁her ▁sister ▁Joy ▁Sim pson ▁arranged ▁music ▁for ▁Kath le en ▁Battle , ▁Jess ye ▁Norman , ▁and ▁the ▁P org y ▁and ▁B ess ▁Ch orus ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Metropolitan ▁Opera , ▁and ▁has ▁performed ▁with ▁musical ▁organizations ▁such ▁as ▁Philadelphia ' s ▁National ▁Opera ▁Eb ony ▁( l ater ▁renamed ▁Opera ▁North ). ▁ ▁Based ▁in ▁the ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁area , ▁Cur ent on ▁is ▁Music ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Washington ▁Perform ing ▁Arts ▁Society ' s ▁Men ▁and ▁Women ▁of ▁the ▁G ospel ▁and ▁an ▁associate ▁of ▁the ▁Smith son ian ▁Institution . ▁She ▁has ▁given ▁lect ures ▁and ▁participated ▁in ▁work sh ops ▁on ▁early ▁ 1 8 th - century ▁black ▁religious ▁music ▁and ▁the ▁music ▁of ▁African - Amer icans ▁during ▁the ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁era . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 5 3 ▁birth s ▁Category : L iving ▁people ▁Category : American ▁female ▁compos ers ▁Category : 2 0 th - century ▁American ▁compos ers ▁Category : American ▁women ▁pian ists ▁Category : American ▁female ▁sing ers ▁Category : Tem ple ▁University ▁al umn i ▁Category : 2 0 th - century ▁American ▁pian ists ▁Category : 2 0 th - century ▁American ▁women ▁mus