UW Symphony Presents: Mahler 4

Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts

Giving Voice is the brainchild of tenor Lawrence Brownlee, who created the series in 2019. This year’s event, held during Black History Month, will honor the legacy of the country’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as an important training ground for Black artists in classical music and opera.

EPSG:4326

Giving Voice 2025

Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church

Join us for a remarkable evening of music and celebration at the "Celebrating Black Excellence" concert presented by CityMusic Cleveland Chamber Orchestra. This special event will take place on Sunday, October 22, 2023, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM at St. Sebastian Parish, located at 476 Mull Avenue, Akron, OH, 44320, United States.

The concert will feature an introduction by Jim Mehrling, highlighting the exceptional pieces selected for our October orchestra series. This event is dedicated to celebrating the contributions and talents of Black composers and musicians, featuring performances by soloists Travis Guillory, Elizabeth Hanje, Benhur Mosazghi, and Daniel Gilbert.

**Program Highlights:**
- Artie Shaw's Clarinet Concerto
- Jessie Montgomery's Strum
- Manuel de Falla's Ritual Fire Dance
- Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's Onaway Awake, Beloved
- William Grant Still's I Dream a World
- George Gershwin's excerpts from Porgy and Bess

**Soloists:**
- Daniel Gilbert, clarinet
- Elizabeth Hanje, soprano
- Travis Guillory, tenor
- Benhur Mosazghi, bass-baritone

**Venue Information:**
St. Sebastian Parish, 476 Mull Avenue, Akron, OH, 44320. Parking is conveniently available in the church parking lot off of Mull Ave and Elmdale Ave.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to experience a powerful celebration of Black excellence through music. Mark your calendars and join us for an unforgettable evening.

Celebrating Black Excellence

Cleveland Clinic Main Campus

Parroquia de La Sagrada Familia Catholic

St Stanislaus Church

St. Sebastian Catholic Church

Join us for HGO’s second annual Family Day, featuring a 90-minute, relaxed-environment performance of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, directed by acclaimed mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke and performed entirely in English.

Young guests will not only be enchanted by the opera’s young protagonists as they scheme to escape the Witch’s realm—they’ll also love the kid-friendly lobby activities before the show and during intermission!

Elizabeth Hanje

Events

Upcoming events

Feb 14, 2026

HGO Family Day: Hansel & Gretel · Houston Grand Opera

Past events

May 8, 2025

UW Symphony Presents: Mahler 4 · University of Wyoming Department of Music

Feb 28, 2025

Giving Voice 2025 · Houston Grand Opera

Future and recently performed repertoire

Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel by Humperdinck

Houston Grand Opera

Singer in Ruhe, meine Seele! by Strauss

University of Wyoming Department of Music

About

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