Delphin & Romain

Delphin & Romain was an American classical piano duo formed by pianists Wilfred Delphin and Edwin Romain. Active from 1977 to 1995, the duo was among the first African American piano duos to perform on the international professional concert circuit. Delphin & Romain performed widely throughout the United States as well as in South America, Europe, and Asia. Its repertoire included standard works for piano duo alongside music by African American and other Black composers. In addition to appearing in major concert venues, the duo also performed in smaller communities, sometimes transporting their own pianos to facilitate performances. Delphin & Romain has been credited with helping expand opportunities for Black classical pianists in the United States beginning in the late 1970s and continuing throughout its career, which ended shortly before the death of Edwin Romain in 1995. Education and career Wilfred Delphin (b. 1949) and Edwin Romain (1950–1995) met as undergraduate students at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans in 1968. They later pursued graduate studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) and earned doctoral degrees from the University of Southern Mi