James Little: New York Choral Society & The New School Stage Duke Ellington’s ‘Sacred Concerts’

Afton Wooten, Opera Wire, October 1, 2022

 

For the first time in 35 years Duke Ellington’s “Sacred Concerts” will be performed in New York City on Nov. 18 and 19 at Tishman Hall.

 

“Sacred Concerts” fuses jazz, choral and classical music, spirituals, gospel, blues, visual art, and dance. The New York Choral Society along with jazz vocalist Brianna Thomas, baritone and composer Milton Suggs, painter James Little, Broadway performer Daniel J. Watts, and the New School Studio Orchestra present Ellington’s massive work. David Hayes and Keller Coker conduct.

 

Hayes says in a press release, “The magnitude of this production is evident, and we are pleased to start our 2022-2023 season in such a profound way that offers audiences across generations and musical interests a lively and inspiring mix of music, dance, and visual art to discover this exceptional music by a well-known figure in America’s cultural history. Ellington was driven by bringing people together through music, and we pay homage to his legacy this fall to bring artists, audiences, and our community together in this historic moment of celebration and expression.”

 

Through the support of The New York State Council on the Arts, this historical event is free and open to the public.

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