Composer

EPSG:4326

American Voices - Parkersburg

Wood County Schools

Celebrate the rich tapestry of American composition with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s “American Voices.” This concert is a vibrant showcase of the diverse sounds that define American music, from the bright lights of Broadway to the soulful streets of Harlem.

American Voices

West Virginia Symphony Orchestra

Clay Center

The BSO and Thomas Wilkins mark the 50th anniversary of Duke Ellington’s death with three of this American musical genius’ symphonically ambitious “Tone Parallels” — his personal take on the tone poem; Gerald Clayton is soloist in the optimistic New World A-Coming. Ellington’s three Sacred Concerts of 1965, 1968, and 1973, conceived as a parallel to traditional European church music, feature styles at the core of jazz, including gospel, the blues, and spirituals in a multi-dimensional, oratorio-like presentation.

Duke Ellington Anniversary Celebration

Boston Symphony Orchestra

Freddie White is a masterful guitar player, singer-songwriter and interpreter of classic songs who has captivated audiences during a career spanning five decades. A founding member of Scullion and The Fake, Freddie’s career skyrocketed touring alongside Eric Clapton. With timeless albums like Live on Tour and Do You Do, Freddie’s eclectic repertoire and the magnetic energy of his live shows resonates with fans old and new.

Blues & Ballads: An Evening with Paul Jones & Dave Kelly, and Freddie White

Grand Opera House

The season opens on August 24th with a delightful program featuring Mozart’s beloved Bassoon Concerto, showcasing Principal Bassoonist Daniel Hane. Also on the program are Jean-Philippe Rameau’s “Airs de Ballet” from his exotic opéra-ballet “Les Indes Galantes” and Haydn’s ever amusing Symphony No. 83, “La Poule.

Sounds of America

Christ Church

The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro José-Luis Novo, is pleased to present the perfect end-of-summer soundtrack for everyone in the family. Mark your calendar now to attend our annual end-of-summer concert, sponsored by Anne Arundel County Arts Council and Anne Arundel County Department Of Recreation and Parks.

Pops in the Park

Quiet Waters Park

Downs Park

Ilan Volkov and friends celebrate milestones from the past 100 years of American jazz, starting with a sequence honouring the ‘Duke’. Mary Lou Williams’s Zodiac Suite from 1945 romps between boogie-woogie and dissonance in its response to astrological signs. The evening culminates in the work of a boundary-crossing visionary very much still with us. From the south side of Chicago, multi-instrumentalist and self-styled ‘trans-idiomatic composer’ Anthony Braxton has established himself as a musician whose imagination recognises no bounds.

Prom 35: Ellington, Braxton and Mary Lou Williams

Royal Albert Hall

Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue, join us on the Square for our season grand finale. Special guest pianist John Novacek joins the WCO to perform the genre-defining Rhapsody in Blue and I Got Rhythm Variations by George Gershwin. Revel in the familiar sounds of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite and a work from Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Michael Abels.

Rhapsody in Blue

King Street corner of the Capitol Square

Andris Nelsons also leads the BSO in two pieces by the seminal Duke Ellington; the composer described A Tone Poem to Harlem as a musical stroll through the city on a Sunday morning, and Three Black Kings – originally written as a eulogy for Martin Luther King, Jr. — was the last piece Ellington worked on before his death.

Andris Nelsons conducts Simon and Beethoven featuring Yuja Wang, piano

Tanglewood Music Center

Since its inception in 2011, Art of the Piano has grown immensely over the years, in a variety of ways.  We started out in Cincinnati with a handful of applicants, which—to our delight—eventually blossomed to over 200 young pianists hoping to attend each year.

Art of the Piano: Jeremy Jordan Recital

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Please join us for our season finale concert, Duke Ellington: In a Symphonic Mood, to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Ellington’s birth!

Duke Ellington: In a Symphonic Mood

The City College of New York

Take flight through a mesmerizing symphonic journey where color, light, and soulful melodies intertwine. Ellington's Solitude, arranged by Morton Gould, evokes the voices of jazz legends Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong. Let the celestial phenomenon of the Northern Lights come to life through Jimmy López Bellido's enchanting West Coast premiere of his Aurora Violin Concerto, featuring the virtuosity of Leticia Moreno. Immerse yourself in the striking spectacle of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, vividly depicting Viktor Hartmann's paintings, orchestrated by Ravel. Prepare for a transcendent fusion of sight and sound, as music paints a colorful landscape that will leave you spellbound.

Pictures at an Exhibition

University of California, Berkeley

Join us for a mesmerizing evening as Washington Performing Arts presents the D.C. premiere of Mary Lou Williams's "Zodiac Suite," performed by the Aaron Diehl Trio and The United States Air Force Band, under the baton of Col. Don Schofield. This one-night concert event takes place on Sunday, May 19, 2024, at 7:30 PM at the historic Lincoln Theatre.

"Zodiac Suite" is a pioneering orchestral work by pianist and composer Mary Lou Williams, composed of 12 pieces representing the astrological signs. Each piece is dedicated to jazz legends of her era, including Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, and Thelonious Monk, among others. Although Williams debuted her celestial odyssey in various formats during her lifetime, the full suite as she envisioned it has never been performed until now. Pianist Aaron Diehl has devoted considerable effort to restoring Williams's original orchestrations, bringing this significant work to life in collaboration with The United States Air Force Band.

The program will also feature other notable works, creating an evening that celebrates the synthesis of jazz and classical music. This event not only honors the legacy of Mary Lou Williams but also showcases the innovative spirit of jazz and its influence on classical music.

Tickets are now available for reservation. Don't miss this unique opportunity to experience a landmark moment in music history.

Zodiac Suite

Lincoln Theater

Renowned pianist and composer, Conrad Tao has been called “the kind of musician who is shaping the future of classical music.” Celebrating the 100th year of Rhapsody in Blue, Tao performs the original jazz band version as well as the premiere of his concerto that is filled with a mosaic of sounds inspired by Gershwin and Ellington.

Gershwin & Ellington

Green Music Center

At this once-in-a-lifetime event, Cyrus Chestnut brings his epic interpretation of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts to life. Don’t miss a rare performance of this joyful music embracing the gospel, jazz, blues, swing, and classical styles that defined The Duke’s work and spirituality.

Cyrus Chestnut: Duke Ellington Sacred Concert

California Center for the Arts

Under the direction of Barb Catlin, the Pomona College Jazz Ensemble is exciting to perform a modern interpretation of one of Duke Ellington’s lesser-known works, the Far East Suite. Joining the Jazz Ensemble are special guests Kirsten Edkins on woodwinds, Ken Rosser on guitar and Clarice Cast on percussion.

Pomona College Jazz Ensemble

Pomona College

A Fortas favorite since its Kennedy Center debut, Dover Quartet joins our season-wide Ellington 125 celebration with an arrangement of “In a Sentimental Mood.” Two piano quintets complete the program, featuring guest pianist Leif Ove Andsnes.

Dover Quartet with Leif Ove Andsnes

Kennedy Center

Join us for the Spartanburg Philharmonic’s season finale featuring three extraordinary works.  The concert opens with An Act of Resistance by Joel Thomson followed by an American classic,  The Three Black Kings by Duke Ellington, and will conclude with Dmitri Shostakovich’s epic Symphony no. 5.  You won’t want to miss this experience!

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5

Converse University

**Event: Black Keys: The Evolution of the Black Classical Arts**

**Date:** Saturday, April 20, 2024  
**Time:** 7:30 PM  
**Venue:** Schrott Center for the Arts, Butler University, 610 W. 46th St., Indianapolis, IN 46208  
**Tickets:** Sold Out - Waitlist Available

Join the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra for a groundbreaking concert, "Black Keys: The Evolution of the Black Classical Arts," on April 20, 2024, at the prestigious Schrott Center for the Arts. This unique event, conducted by Matthew Kraemer and curated by Joshua Thompson, ICO's Creative Partner-in-Residence, promises an unforgettable evening celebrating the rich legacy of Black classical music.

**Featured Performers:**
- **Joshua Thompson:** Piano
- **Kenyetta Dance Company**
- **Jared Thompson:** Saxophone
- **Psywrn Simone:** Vocalist
- **Pamela Ajango:** English Horn

**About the Event:**
Curated by Joshua Thompson, "Black Keys" is an immersive experience that weaves together the power of dance, vocal prowess, and world-class artistry. The concert showcases masterpieces by Black composers and artists spanning over three centuries, including William Grant Still, Joseph Bologne, Nina Simone, Duke Ellington, Harry Burleigh, and Margaret Bonds. This event is a celebration of the contributions of Black artists to the classical music genre, presented with the support of Frost Brown Todd.

**Repertoire Highlights:**
- Coleridge-Taylor: Petite Suite de Concert
- Ulysses Kay: Pieta
- Still: Darker America, Out of Silence from Seven Traceries, Africa Land of Romance, Spiritual A Deserted Plantation
- Ellington: Spring from The River, Single Petal of a Rose, MLK, Movement III from Three Black Kings
- Burleigh: The Frolic from The Southland
- Simone: Four Women
- Bonds/Hughes: Dream Variations

**Additional Information:**
- **Tickets:** This concert is currently sold out. To join the waitlist, please visit the ICO website.
- **Student/Children Tickets:** Free with reserved ticket. Call or email the ICO office to reserve.
- **Young Professionals (40 and under) Tickets:** $20. Contact the ICO office for redemption.

For more information, contact the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra at 317-940-9607 or info@icomusic.org. Don't miss this extraordinary celebration of the Black classical arts at the heart of Indianapolis.

Black Keys: The Evolution of the Black Classical Arts

Butler University

With a career that spanned 50 years, DC native and American icon, Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, is known around the world for such jazz standards as Mood Indigo, Solitude, and his band’s signature tune Take the “A” Train composed by collaborator Billy Strayhorn. But, Ellington sought to break out of stereotyped boxes, to explore broader creative horizons. His masterworks include scores for ballet, opera, motion pictures, and Broadway musicals as well as for symphony orchestras. This spring we journey through the music of Ellington’s extraordinary yet little-known concert pieces, including his magnificent Black, Brown, and Beige, the suite from the ballet The River, and the debut of Scott Silbert’s orchestration of Caravan featuring guest conguero Felix Contreras.

Beyond Category: the Concert Music of Duke Ellington

NHSO Principal Pops Conductor Chelsea Tipton leads this high-energy program celebrating the orchestral music by Black composers and performers at the heart of the Harlem Renaissance.

Harlem Renaissance: Orchestral Voices

Shelton Intermediate School

Southern Connecticut State University

Holst’s celestial masterpiece is very popular but performed infrequently because of its difficulty and orchestra size. Julian Brown makes his Redwood Symphony debut with Philip Glass’ haunting Violin Concerto, and the orchestra presents a rarely-heard orchestral work by Duke Ellington!

The Planets

Cañada College

Performing worldwide for more than 101 years under the guidance of three generations of Ellington’s family, the Grammy Award–winning supergroup has produced more iconic jazz classics than any other band—passing the sound artist-to-artist in the creative spirit of its founder.

Duke Ellington Orchestra

Through music spanning the 1920s to today, the American Composers Orchestra explores the United States’ influence on the Weimar Republic, and, conversely, aspects of the Weimar legacy that resonate now in American culture. They perform Antheil’s Jazz Symphony, one of the first significant classical pieces influenced by jazz; short works by Duke Ellington, which caused a sensation during Sam Wooding and the Chocolate Kiddies’ 1925 tour of Berlin and Hamburg; and “My Ship” from Kurt Weill’s Lady in the Dark, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. New works include a world premiere by Tonia Ko, co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall; a world premiere by John Glover, featuring mezzo-soprano Chrystal E. Williamsand accordionist Felipe Hostins; and the New York premiere of Clans from Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s Lowak Shoppala’.

American Composers Orchestra

Carnegie Hall

Immerse yourself in "A NEW WORLD OF MUSIC" with the West Virginia Symphony at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of WV. This captivating evening of classical music is scheduled for Saturday, March 9, 2024, from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM, promising an unforgettable experience for music lovers.

The concert will showcase an impressive lineup of compositions, including Duke Ellington's "Black, Brown, and Beige Suite," Camille Saint-Saëns' "Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor," featuring the talented Sara Davis Buechner on piano, and Antonín Dvořák's "Symphony No. 9 in E minor, op. 95." Sara Davis Buechner, celebrated for her broad artistry, will bring these compositions to life with her dynamic range and poetic sensitivity, as praised by The New York Times.

This event is a highlight of the 2023-24 season, offering single tickets now on sale for those eager to secure their seats. The concert will take place at One Clay Square, Charleston, WV, 25301, United States, making it a central location for attendees.

For more information on subscribing to the 23-24 season or to learn more about Sara Davis Buechner, visit the West Virginia Symphony's official website. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the power and beauty of live symphonic music in the heart of West Virginia.

A New World Of Music

History meets symphony in composer James Lee III’s Visions of Cahokia, inspired by the ancient capital of Mississippian Native American culture that flourished along the waterways of North America before European contact. Hear a spiritual nod to the mighty Mississippi in Duke Ellington’s The River, and an impressionistic journey out to sea in Debussy’s atmospheric La Mer, while Copland’s gorgeously fluid Clarinet Concerto gets star treatment by MSO’s own Ken Graves. 

Bravo 4: Alluvial Soundscape

Thalia Mara Hall

Celebrate William & Mary’s beautiful new Concert Hall with a program showcasing the full breadth of colors the Virginia Symphony Orchestra can create. Music Director Eric Jacobsen conducts selections by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and more, including Mozart’s Violin Concerto in G Major featuring our very own Yun Zhang as soloist.

Symphony Sunday At William & Mary

William & Mary

Pianist and composer Timo Andres makes his Carnegie Hall solo debut in the intimate Zankel Hall Center Stage. A program of quintessentially varied American music includes delicate piano masterpieces by Duke Ellington, Aaron Copland’s Piano Sonata, the last of Philip Glass’s 20 piano etudes, and Frederic Rzewski’s boisterous Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues. Also featured are an original world premiere, highlighting Andres’s “textural imagination and ear for piquant harmony” (The Guardian), and a New York premiere by the inventive Gabriella Smith.

Timo Andres, Piano

Duke Ellington medley including: Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me, Sophisticated Lady, and It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

A Celebration of American Black Composers

Brazosport College

Get ready to be transported to the golden era of jazz as we pay tribute to the legendary Duke Ellington, one of the most influential figures in the history of the genre.

Gulf Coast Jazz Collective will showcase the timeless compositions and unparalleled talent of Duke Ellington. Known for his sophisticated arrangements, innovative harmonies, and captivating melodies, Ellington’s music has left an indelible mark on the jazz landscape.

Jazz At the Macc: Music of Duke Ellington

Music & Arts Community Center

“Melodic precision, harmonic erudition, and elegant restraint” (New York Times) are hallmarks of Aaron Diehl’s playing. Praised for his “freedom and playfulness” (Philadelphia Inquirer), this celebrated musical polymath makes his PCMS debut with Hidden Visionaries, a new recital program spotlighting works by Black American composers of sacred and secular music.

Aaron Diehl, piano

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

Join soprano Danielle Talamantes for an intimate evening at the Miner Music Center at Stevenson Hall. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for Prosecco and wine at an open bar with lite fare. Music will follow featuring Romantic French  chanson and Duke Ellington Standards. 

Winterlude

Fine Arts Building

Miner Music Center at Stevenson Hall

Join the Sitka Music Festival for our first performance in Wasilla! The evening will present selections from the repertoire below played by Grammy-winning cellist, Zuill Bailey with Timothy Smith, piano & Danielle Talamantes, soprano with Henry Dehlinger, piano. 

Zuill Bailey & Danielle Talamantes in Wasilla

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Wasilla

Soprano Danielle Talamantes in Ketchikan

Holy Name Catholic Church

A noted Gershwin interpreter at the keyboard, Wayne Marshall celebrates the 100th anniversary of Rhapsody in Blue “a quick wit and a cool head, the ability to convey (just as Gershwin strove to do) the jazzman’s freewheeling, rhapsodic manner alongside a concert pianist’s formality.” (Gramophone) Leading three other American classics from the conductor’s podium, Marshall finds the common thread among Copland’s spiky tribute to the theater, Bernstein’s dreamy dance sequence from a Broadway hit, and Ellington’s tribute to the Manhattan neighborhood where Black culture soared.

Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue

The Music Center at Strathmore

Gershwin Rhapsody In Blue

Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

From Stravinsky’s magical Firebird Suite to Duke Ellington’s jazz-infused The River Suite, this concert moves with music created for ballet. We end with Tchaikovsky’s passionate and beloved Piano Concerto No. 1 performed by astonishingly talented pianist Maxim Lando.

Firebird

Saenger Theatre

Join us for a monumental event, "A Tallahassee Bicentennial Celebration: Portraits of America," presented by the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra. This special concert is set to take place on January 20th from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm and January 21st from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the prestigious Ruby Diamond venue, located at 222 S Copeland St, Tallahassee, FL 32304.

Under the baton of Music Director Darko Butorac, the TSO will embark on a musical journey through America's past and present. The evening will open with a newly commissioned work by Jennifer Higdon that beautifully captures the essence of the Western Carolina mountains. The program will also feature Aaron Copland's iconic "Lincoln Portrait," which combines narration and visuals to tell the story of American history, and William Grant Still's groundbreaking "Afro-American Symphony," the first symphony by an African-American composer to be performed by a leading American orchestra. Additionally, the concert will include a brand new photo-choreography work set to music from Duke Ellington’s "Black, Brown and Beige," celebrating Tallahassee’s bicentennial with a vibrant visual and musical tribute to the city's past and present.

This event is not only a celebration of Tallahassee's 200th anniversary but also an invitation for the community to contribute by sharing their photos of Tallahassee, adding a personal touch to the celebration.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact the TSO at 850-224-0461 or visit their website. Don't miss this unique opportunity to celebrate Tallahassee's rich history and vibrant future through the power of music and visual art.

A Tallahassee Bicentennial Celebration: Portraits of America

Florida State University

The SLSO and Jazz St. Louis come together for a very special festival. In three concerts over two weeks, Leonard Slatkin explores the ways jazz has enriched orchestral music. Each program ends with a work by George Gershwin, here suite from the opera Porgy and Bess. George Antheil’s Jazz Symphony is one of the first works of orchestral jazz, and Duke Ellington’s final work, The Three Black Kings was written as a eulogy for Martin Luther King, Jr. Violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins makes her SLSO debut in Emmy winner Jeff Beal’s new jazz-inflected Violin Concerto. 

Porgy and Bess

Touhill Performing Arts Center

JMR and The Pops ring in 2024 with the sophisticated jazz stylings of Edward “Duke” Ellington to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the legendary pianist and composers’ birth. Jazz vocalist Denzal Sinclaire will bring Ellington's lyrics to life with his velvety baritone, and dancers from Revolution Dance Theatre join in to lend their artistry to Ellington's arrangement of The Nutcracker Suite. Dust of your finest or come as you are, and get ready to swing into the new year in style with the classic and elegant sounds of “Duke.”

NEW YEAR'S EVE: Ellington at 125

Cincinnati Music Hall

The Oslo Philharmonic held its first Christmas concerts in 1969, and they have since become a cherished tradition for many in the run-up to Christmas.

Christmas concerts Herborg Kråkevik Oslo Philharmonic Choir

Oslo Concert Hall

When jazz chords meet classical harmonies, you know a party awaits! The Orchestre national de jazz de Montréal and the Orchestre Métropolitain are coming together with the Chœur Métropolitain and singers Laura Anglade, Ranee Lee, Kim Richardson and Dawn Tyler Watson for this major concert. Your favourite Christmas, orchestral, jazz and pop classics are on the program, in an updated arrangement by Antoine Gratton.

Holiday Melodies

Place des Arts

Join us for the monumental celebration of The Duke Ellington Orchestra and its 100th anniversary season. This iconic ensemble pays tribute and carries the creative spirit of one of the greatest jazz composers of the twentieth century. With music spanning over 50 years, you’ll be able to experience classic hits such as, “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” to the soul-stirring “Mood Indigo” and more! Led by music Director Charlie Young, The Duke Ellington Orchestra continues to pay homage to the past while igniting the passion for jazz music for today’s generation.

An Evening with the Duke Ellington Orchestra

The Grand 1894 Opera House

To celebrate Christmas, the OPRL (Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège) puts the spotlight on the hits of Duke Ellington (1899-1974), one of the great names in the history of jazz. A pianist and a creative genius, he composed standards characterized by the spirit of the blues, the "jungle" style (with its expressive brass effects), and the use of original African rhythms. A champion for "black beauty" and the emancipation of black culture, Ellington also created enchanting orchestral suites. His interpretation of "The Nutcracker" transforms Tchaikovsky's music with its vibrant sounds and rhythms that invite celebration.

Duke Ellington’s Christmas

Salle Philharmonique de Liège

Join us for an evening of festive cheer and holiday spirit at the Chicago Sinfonietta's "Holidays of Light" concert, featuring guest conductor Chelsea Tipton. The concert will take place at the beautiful and historic Auditorium Theatre in downtown Chicago.

Holidays of Light

Roosevelt University

The Houston Symphony teams up with Jazz Houston to tell the story of The Nutcracker. You’ll hear Duke Ellington’s toe-tapping take on The Nutcracker Suite, along with music from Tchaikovsky’s beloved original score.

Duke Ellington's Nutcracker

Jones Hall

A sweet twist on the annual holiday pops concert, this year’s program will feature many new and unexpected versions of holiday music. The orchestra and guest vocalist Connor Bogart O’Brien performs selections from Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker, Holiday Hoedown, Clarinet Candy, and more. The FSO Chorale also ring in the season with holiday music from around the globe.

A Peppermint Twist Christmas

Sawmill Creek Convention Center

Witness the transformation of a beloved holiday tradition as it is tailored for our community! Join us as the GCO presents a captivating medley of Tchaikovsky's original score, Duke Ellington's jazz rendition, and vibrant salsa-inspired variations, redefining the essence of this seasonal favorite. Immerse yourself in a unique spectacle, where the orchestra and jazz band, accompanied by talented guest artists from three great American ballet companies, bring the music to life on stage. This season, prepare to be enthralled by an exhilarating new section of music and choreography commissioned exclusively for this event. Don't miss this sensational fusion of music and movement that will transport you to the heart of The Nutcracker like never before!


The Nutcracker

Austin Peay State University

Tis’ the season to celebrate with the SMSO! Join us for an evening of merry making, beloved traditions, and a taste of holiday music from around the world. A festive favorite, this annual concert is a treat for the whole family.

Merry & Bright

The Mendel Center

Voice Division Recital

560 Music Center

The Naples Philharmonic Youth Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Brandon Robertson, performs a selection of arrangements of some of jazz’s most beloved tunes.

Youth Jazz Orchestra

Artis–Naples

A holiday spectacular show reflecting the joy and delight in the season! Featuring Haydn’s Toy Symphony, the Nutcracker Suite, The First State Ringers and Wilmington Handbell Ensemble, a host of combined area high school choirs with Newark Symphony Chorus, and guest soprano soloist Madeline Ley.

Holiday Symphony Concert

The Independence School

PC Division Recital

The Concert Jazz Band performance will now take place in Room 25, Smith Memorial Hall, 805 S Mathews Ave, Urbana. Admission at Smith Memorial Hall is free. Tickets purchased in advance through Krannert Center for this performance will be refunded by the Ticket Office. Patrons do not need to return their tickets.

UI Concert Jazz Band

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

JAZZ BAND CONCERT - Dr. Matt Hughes, director

Western Illinois University

Pre-College Guitar Studio Recital (Students of Scott Cmiel)

Bowes Center

Be among the first to hear this powerful new NSO co-commission, performed on the 60th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s 1963 speech at Amherst College. The program also includes Duke Ellington’s swinging trip to Jazz-age Harlem and John Adams’ Harmonielehre, inspired by the composer’s vision of an oil tanker blasting into space.

JFK: The Last Speech with Phylicia Rashad Kevin John Edusei conducts Adams, Ellington & Hailstork

MSM Jazz Orchestra at Merkin Hall: “What Makes It Great?” Swing! The Great Big Bands of the Swing Era

Kaufman Music Center

The outstanding Valeriy Sokolov performs Barber’s enchanting Violin Concerto. Ending with a rollicking dance inspired by Argentine gauchos, Alberto Ginastera’s Estancia will have you dancing in your seat. And, hit the bustling streets of Harlem with jazz-infused music by Duke Ellington.

Barber's Violin Concerto + Duke Ellington

Barber's Violin Concerto + Duke Ellington1

New Jersey Symphony: Ellington & Dvorak: New Worlds

New Jersey Performing Arts Center

Manhattan School of Music’s public programs are made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

MSM Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin

Manhattan School of Music

The incredibly virtuosic banjo superstar Bela Fleck joins the orchestra for an audience favorite…with a twist! Performing his new arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue on banjo, Bela’s endless curiosity for combining genres will surely surprise and delight. Add in a few other American greats like Ellington and Porter, finish off with an epic Bolero, and you have a recipe for a concert you won’t soon forget!

Bela Fleck & Gershwin

Ferguson Center for the Arts

Sandler Center for the Performing Arts

“Join us to celebrate the end of our SCMR season with this early summer concert blending classical and jazz genres and featuring Juliana Atayde and her father, Bob Athayde. A performance you won’t want to miss!”

Jazz Aperitif

Glazer Music Performance Center

Our season finale offers audiences an infectious array of American musical genius. Award-winning pianist Michelle Cann takes center stage performing the Piano Concerto in One Movement by groundbreaking American composer Florence Price. The concert also includes brilliant 21st -century works by Brian Nabors and Nan Schwartz, along with Duke Ellington’s swinging “Harlem” and George Gershwin’s foot-tapping “An American in Paris.” We will send you out dancing!

An American in Paris

This program features two American works—one by Duke Ellington, and the other written with you in mind by our Composer in Residence, Trey Makler! The River is yet another ballet score, written for Alvin Ailey and the American Ballet Theater in 1970. This fabulous work uses the progress of a river, from a tiny spring to the ocean, as a metaphor for life. Like the other two seldom-heard ballet scores we present this season, this is a work of huge invention, and a reminder (as if any of us need it), that the “Duke” is one of our very greatest composers. Violin virtuoso Cordula Merks completes our traversal of 19th-century concertos with the warmhearted Mendelssohn.

The River

The Empress Theatre

The finale of our 30th anniversary season begins with the pulsating energy of Libby Laren’s Overture for the End of a Century. At the heart of the program is a world premier by extraordinary cellist and composer Andrew Yee, “Briefly Gorgeous.” Finally, our season comes full circle with the work of another singular voice in American music, Duke Ellington. Ellington’s The River follows the journey of water from spring to brook, lake to falls, river to sea, and earthly element to a symbol of transformation and rebirth.

#135: Seasons

St. Catherine University

An exciting program that marries a classical masterpiece with two works rooted in the jazz world. Masterful violinist Regina Carter performs Schiff’s Concerto, which pays homage to Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan, who changed our musical landscape. Duke Ellington’s masterpiece is a jazz-fueled walk through Black and African-American history. Finally, Tchaikovsky’s jovial Second Symphony is said to have been his favorite.

Classical Jazz

Kleinhans Music Hall

Join us for a special, free performance dedicated to the people of this great city we call home! Led by BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons and Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart, Concert for the City will feature a diverse musical program meant to celebrate the City of Boston and strengthen our community through the shared experience of remarkable music.

Concert for the City - BSO

Boston Symphony Hall

Join us in 2022-23 for a season of vibrant musical experiences.

Thomas Wilkins & Branford Marsalis

Davies Symphony Hall

Join us for a captivating evening at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center as the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony presents "Concert: Evolution of African American Music" on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at 7:00 pm. This remarkable performance, led by jazz maestro Bruce Henry, marks the culmination of a season-long community residency dedicated to exploring the rich tapestry of African American music. 

Audiences will be treated to an expansive repertoire that spans the history of Black music, featuring pieces from iconic composers and musicians such as Florence Price, Scott Joplin, William Grant Still, Duke Ellington, and more. The concert will also showcase local talent, including a performance by Waterloo's own Felicia Smith-Nalls.

Before the concert, attendees are invited to a pre-concert conversation with Jason Weinberger, Bruce Henry, and Felicia Smith-Nalls at 6pm in Jebe Hall, offering deeper insights into the evening's program and the history of African American music.

The event will take place in the Catherine Cassidy Gallagher Great Hall at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, Cedar Falls, IA. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony's website or contact them at 319.273.3373.

Don't miss this enlightening and entertaining journey through the evolution of African American music, a celebration of its profound impact on the cultural and musical landscape of America.

Duke Ellington

Composer

Events

Upcoming events

Nov 17, 2024

All Brassed Up! · The Florida Philharmonic

Nov 22, 2024

Lush Life: Ellington and Strayhorn · Strathmore

22 - 24 Nov, 2024

Lush Life: Ellington and Strayhorn · Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Nov 29 - Dec 1, 2024

Rhapsody in Blue · The Cleveland Orchestra

6 - 8 Dec, 2024

Ellington & The Nutcracker · Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Past events

Nov 10, 2024

American Voices - Parkersburg · West Virginia Symphony Orchestra

Nov 10, 2024

American Voices · WV Symphony Orchestra

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