Paolo Angeli
5/12/2019 at 6:00 PM

Paolo Angeli and his extraordinary extended Sardinian guitar, an instrument larger than a standard guitar and augmented with two banks of sympathetic strings, a set of foot operated hammers (each linked to a primary string), and a series of motorised propellers— wow audiences in 22.22 Free Radiohead. Performing hits from Radiohead, this one person and one instrument concert is a rarity.

Part of Unexpected Italy. Unexpected Italy is presented in cooperation with the Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute.

Vladivojna La Chia & 4Trio
5/13/2019 at 6:00 PM

Singer/songwriter Vladivojna La Chia is deeply rooted as an unpredictable chameleon consistently surprising her fans with her colorful and unrestrained musical style. She is accompanied by musicians Terezie Kovalová (cello), Petr Uvira (acoustic guitar) and Luboš Pavlík (drums).

Presented in collaboration with the Embassy of the Czech Republic. Czech programing on Millennium Stage is generously supported by the Komarek Family Foundation.

All Souls Church Unitarian Choir
5/14/2019 at 6:00 PM

“I am large. I contain multitudes.” Founded as one of the first multiracial choirs in Washington, DC, the 60-voice All Souls Church Unitarian Choir, joined by nationally recognized poets and spoken word artists, will honor America’s first great poet, Walt Whitman, through stories and songs of revolution, resistance, and radical self-love. Songs of Ourselves explores Whitman’s texts, other poets inspired by Whitman, and cultural ideas celebrated in Whitman’s poetry in juxtaposition with music spanning generations, nations and cultures. 

This program features the premiere of an original work by composer William Kenlon set to Whitman text, with musical support from crossover cellist Devree Lewis and local jazz favorites Rochelle Rice (vocals), Todd Simon (piano), Corey Null (bass) and Dante Pope (drums and vocals).

The Bamms
5/15/2019 at 6:00 PM

The Bamms, one of the Levine School of Music’s teen rock band classes, followed by Levine’s Faculty/Staff Rock Band class, perform a standout concert.

Presented in collaboration with Levine School of Music.

Joe Barbieri
5/16/2019 at 6:00 PM

Any attempt to find a term to define Joe Barbieri’s art form would fall short in describing all of its inherent nuances—whether musical, prosaical, literary, linguistic, or auditory. Barbieri’s music harks back to the greatest Italian and French songwriters, as well as jazz and bossa nova artists. Every one of his songs encapsulates a perfectly formed universe in which attention to every detail achieves spontaneous beauty.

Part of Unexpected Italy. Unexpected Italy is presented in cooperation with the Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute.

Georgian Culture Center’s Pesvebi Ensemble
5/17/2019 at 6:00 PM

The Brooklyn-based Georgian Culture Center’s Pesvebi Ensemble presents a spectacular concert of Georgia’s beloved folk dance and music with traditional instruments and polyphonic singing – in tribute to Georgia’s Independence Day. “Pesvebi” meaning “Roots,” represents several regional styles of dance, while instilling strong cultural pride among the Georgian-American community

Target Family Night : Sticks+Bars
5/18/2019 at 6:00 PM

Sticks+Bars Youth Marimba Ensemble is D.C.’s first-and-only African style marimba band! Composed of students in 5th–12th grade representing variouswards and schools in D.C. and the surrounding area, Sticks+Bars mission is to have students experience playing the marimba music of Zimbabwe, South Africa, and beyond!

NSO Youth Fellows Chamber Ensembles
5/19/2019 at 6:00 PM

NSO Youth Fellows Chamber presents solists and chamber ensembles.

 

The Best of the D.C. Boys Choir
5/20/2019 at 6:00 PM

Following their recent tour to South Africa, Music Director, Eleanor Stewart and the D.C. Boys Choir, will present a program of original works and arrangements especially for boys choir. This includes classical works, spirituals, contemporary popular works, songs from South Africa and jazz classics by Washington's own Duke Ellington.

Presented in collaboration with DCPS Music Festival Week.

CHEC Instrumental Music Department
5/21/2019 at 6:00 PM

The Columbia Heights Educational Campus (CHEC) Music Department is proud to present the Lincoln Middle School Concert Band, CHEC Latin Jazz Band, and CHEC Wind Ensemble in an evening on the Millennium Stage.  Performances will feature a wide variety of musical styles within each ensemble as well as several outstanding soloists.  Columbia Heights Educational Campus is honored to be a Kennedy Center Partnership school.  

Presented in collaboration with DCPS Music Festival Week

School Without Walls
5/22/2019 at 6:00 PM

In the fall of 2007, School Without Walls Instrumental Music Department, the school’s first instrumental ensembles of any type in its over 70 year history, marked a new stepping stone in the pursuit of a better education. Along with being well-rounded in rigorous academic subjects, students in the instrumental music department now have the opportunity to learn what it is like to play in a band, orchestra, and various other ensembles, which may become a career option further down the line. With the instruction of Christopher O. J. Alberts, the band director, the students work to learn all the aspects of creating music with other people.

Presented in collaboration with DCPS Music Festival Week.

Wilson Senior High School Vocal Music Program
5/23/2019 at 6:00 PM

The award-winning Wilson High School Vocal Music Program, a Kennedy Center DCPartnership Initiative School, comes to the Millennium Stage. Join the school’s Concert Choir and Vocal Ensemble as they perform a varied repertoire of music under the direction of international recording artist Lori Williams.

Presented in collaboration with DCPS Music Festival Week.

Kate Willett
5/24/2019 at 6:00 PM

IN THE TERRACE THEATER

Kate Willett is a comedian, actress, and writer whose raunchy feminist storytelling is both smart and relatable. With a combination of affectionate satire of the Bay Area lifestyle—unflinchingly honest, but wildly absurd personal stories—and lucid feminist/queer commentary, Willett has begun to emerge as one of the most unique voices in San Francisco comedy.

This program contains mature themes and strong language. It will not be streamed live or archived. Free general admission tickets will be distributed in the States Gallery starting at approximately 5 p.m., up to two tickets per person.

This show will not be broadcast

Unleash Your Superpowers! An International PeerPositivePOWER Presentation
5/25/2019 at 6:00 PM

Unleash Your Superpowers! An International PeerPositivePOWER Presentation delivers an intersectional, multicultural, interfaith, and multimodality approach to unity, uniquely blending anti-bullying through Hip Hop, drum circle, American Sign Language, dance, mime, and multimedia. This interactive presentation, seen by more than 100,000 people, will be featuring singer/songwriter Reesa Renee; award-winning international recording artist King Kanja; rock ‘n’ roll, Hip Hop, and soul superintendent Dr. Darryl Adams; and PeerPositivePOWER Youth Performers from the District of Columbia and Maryland, to take audiences on a journey as to where and how to discover their inner special gifts or what The Music in Me Foundation International refers to as “superpowers.”

Presented in collaboration with DCPS Music Festival Week.

DCPS Music Showcase Future Project: The Kennedy Center Youth Council
5/26/2019 at 5:30 PM

DCPS Music Showcase Future Project: The Kennedy Center Youth Council, comprised of 30 outstanding teens from the D.C. metropolitan area, serves as advisors and ambassadors to the Kennedy Center to support the Kennedy Center’s impact on youth and how the Kennedy Center can be impacted by youth. This evening’s performance, curated by the Youth Council, is a multidisciplinary showcase featuring local youth artists.

Presented in collaboration with DCPS Music Festival Week.

DCPS Music Showcase: After School Latin Dance Fund
5/27/2019 at 5:30 PM

Promoting health, exercise, heritage & unity through latin dance education.

Presented in collaboration with DCPS Music Festival Week.

NSO Youth Fellows
5/28/2019 at 6:00 PM

NSO Youth Fellows presents soloists and chamber ensembles.

Rhythm Project All-Stars
5/29/2019 at 6:00 PM

The Rhythm Project All-Stars is the flagship program of the Rhythm Project, a community-engagement program of the Virginia Arts Festival, providing steel pan instruction to over 260 elementary, middle, and high school students in southeastern Virginia. Their high-energy performance is sure to impress as they showcase the versatility of the Caribbean steel pan with traditional, classical, contemporary, and popular arrangements

NSO Youth Fellows
5/30/2019 at 6:00 PM

NSO Youth Fellows presents graduating seniors from the Youth Fellowship Program.

Dance Institute of Washington presents Magic Kente Cloth
5/31/2019 at 6:00 PM

This story ballet is about the Kente Cloth— a silk fabric made of interwoven strips of cloth, known for its dazzling multicolored patterns and geometric designs. The Imani Tribe celebrates love and new beginnings through dance and fellowship as the King passes down the cloth to his son, the Crowned Prince, and his bride. They are both ecstatic about receiving this gift; however, the older brother becomes envious and creates conflict. Each color of the Kente cloth has a symbolic meaning and the different dances throughout the play will show how each meaning brings love and forgiveness by working together while maintaining their unity.

NSO Prelude
6/1/2019 at 6:00 PM

NSO Prelude: Members of the National Symphony Orchestra play chamber works.

Jane Bowyer Stewart, violin
Nancy Thomas, viola
David Teie, cello
Kathryn Brake, piano

Mahler: Piano Quartet in A minor
Mozart: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, K. 478
Allegro
Andante
Rondo: Allegro
Schumann: Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 47
Andante cantabile

Hellwana
6/2/2019 at 6:00 PM

There is hardly a more striking rapper on the Czech music scene than Hellwana, who is certainly more than a mere statistical boost of a particular segment. To the somewhat stale pond of Czech rap—let alone the entire Czech pop scene—she brings a whiff of fresh air, female optics, and the influences of the most recent London street sound.

Presented in collaboration with the Embassy of the Czech Republic. Czech programing on Millennium Stage is generously supported by the Komarek Family Foundation.

U.S. Army Band "Mozart in Boots"
6/3/2019 at 6:00 PM

The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” performs one of W.A. Mozart’s finest compositions, the “Gran Partita,” alongside a story of some “Old Boots,” an original stop-animation film and score. Come and join us for a family friendly program of incredible repertoire, performed by the Nation’s finest Soldier musicians.

Target Family Night: The Capitol Symphonic Youth Orchestras (TCSYO) 
6/4/2019 at 6:00 PM

Target Family Night: TCSYO’s Chamber Music Program is designed to teach communicating skills with fellow players, learning to trust the other musicians, finding one’s own musical voice, and making musical decisions together democratically is a wonderful and important experience for young people to have. John Kaboff, TCSYO’s Director of Chamber Music, has received accolades for his teaching young chamber music groups. Students receive an hour-long coaching session tailored to each member’s level twice a month.

A Drag Salute to Divas and Devos
6/5/2019 at 6:00 PM

A Drag Salute to Divas and Devos is a revue showcasing the impersonations of the world’s top musical legends, including Tina Turner, Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Cardi B., Marvin Gaye, and Lady Gaga. The company also produces lip sync stage plays that include The Wiz Twisted, Eba- Queeta Scrooge, Dreamgirls, and Waiting To Exhale. Salute to Divas celebrates diversity and individuality in hopes of inspiring millions to embrace their differences.

Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead
6/6/2019 at 6:00 PM

The 2019 Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program culminates in three concerts on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, June 6–8 at 6 p.m, in which the graduates will perform original compositions. The free performances are open to the general public, and will be broadcast live on the Kennedy Center website and archived for subsequent access.

Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead
6/7/2019 at 6:00 PM

The 2019 Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program culminates in three concerts on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, June 6–8 at 6 p.m, in which the graduates will perform original compositions. The free performances are open to the general public, and will be broadcast live on the Kennedy Center website and archived for subsequent access.

Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead
6/8/2019 at 6:00 PM

The 2019 Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program culminates in three concerts on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, June 6–8 at 6 p.m, in which the graduates will perform original compositions. The free performances are open to the general public, and will be broadcast live on the Kennedy Center website and archived for subsequent access.

Kelly Green Trio
6/9/2019 at 6:00 PM

The Kelly Green Trio pay homage to the Nat King Cole legacy by performing reimagined arrangements of his classics and deep cuts. After being a dedicated working band for a year-and-a-half, they have created a signature ensemble sound and are delighted to perform new and old material, honoring the history while staying relevant to society today.

Presented in collaboration with the DC Jazz Festival.

Amy K. Bormet
6/10/2019 at 6:00 PM

Pianist and vocalist Amy K. Bormet weaves jazz and chamber music, often combining improvisation with art song. Her compositions draw on subjects as diverse as Frankenstein’s monster, hand-holding, and immigration. 

Presented in collaboration with the DC Jazz Festival.

Trent Cokley: Heal Our Hearts
6/11/2019 at 6:00 PM

"Heal Our Hearts" is a musical journey through the process of becoming whole after facing relational and societal setbacks. "Heal Our Hearts" is also the name of Tren'ts debut EP, which was released in January of 2014.

Presented in collaboration with the DC Jazz Festival.

The Noa Fort Quartet
6/12/2019 at 6:00 PM

Audience-captivating vocalist, pianist, and composer Noa Fort has brought an intimate and category-transcending voice to the New York jazz scene since her arrival from Tel Aviv in 2013. The Noa Fort Quartet performs music from their critically acclaimed debut album, No World Between Us, as well as new songs from their coming release. 

Presented in collaboration with the DC Jazz Festival.

The Barry Gurley Trio
6/13/2019 at 6:00 PM

The Barry Gurley Trio performs arrangements of both Nat King Cole tunes and other jazz repertoire. The performance features the improvisational talents of the Trio along with Gurley’s vocals.

Presented in collaboration with the DC Jazz Festival.

The King and Mic featuring Micah Smith
6/14/2019 at 6:00 PM

The King and Mic featuring Micah Smith will be an evening filled with timeless tunes recorded by the late great Nat King Cole. Micah Smith delivers classics reinvented for a tasteful, unforgettable experience.

Presented in collaboration with the DC Jazz Festival.

Alison Crockett
6/15/2019 at 6:00 PM

Nat King Cole’s clean and sophisticated style greatly influenced Alison Crockett’s music. She uses her own unique arrangements and insights to present the music that made her learn how to truly swing!

Presented in collaboration with the DC Jazz Festival.

The Eric Byrd Trio and the U.S. State Department Jazz Ambassadors
6/16/2019 at 6:00 PM

The Eric Byrd Trio and the U.S. State Department Jazz Ambassadors give a swinging performance on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. To celebrate the centennial of Nat King Cole, pianist/vocalist Eric Byrd presents a program of originals and standards.
Presented in collaboration with the DC Jazz Festival.

The U.S. Navy Band Commodores
6/17/2019 at 6:00 PM

The U.S. Navy Band Commodores features some of the finest musicians in the world. Known as the Navy’s premier jazz ensemble, the group is celebrating its 50th anniversary serving the Navy and the nation through America’s quintessential art form.

Yogev Shetrit
6/18/2019 at 6:00 PM

Yogev Shetrit was born in 1978 and has been a professional drummer, performer, composer, and music teacher for the past 18 years. In 2015, Shetrit established his band with the goal of playing his own compositions. The band has performed in jazz clubs in Israel and Europe.

Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington
6/19/2019 at 6:00 PM

Small ensembles from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC (Rock Creek Singers and Seasons of Love) lift their voices for equality, singing a program of a cappella and accompanied songs in a variety styles including Broadway, pop, and inspirational. 

UNHCR, World Refugee Day
6/20/2019 at 6:00 PM

In partnership with UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, The Kennedy Center presents Alsarah and the Nubatones to commemorate World Refugee Day. On this day, we honor the millions of refugees and forcibly displaced people around the world and the communities that welcome them.

This event is part of The Human Journey, a collaboration between the Kennedy Center, National Geographic Society, and the National Gallery of Art. The Human Journey invites audiences to investigate the powerful experiences of migration, exploration, identity, and resilience through the lenses of the performing arts, science, and visual art.

La Marvela: Pura Verbena
6/21/2019 at 6:00 PM

An all-women DC-based bands that highlights the richness of Colombian Afro and Indigenous rhythms.

BlaqueStone
6/22/2019 at 6:00 PM

Colors, soul, Hip Hop, and grooves on a summer night. What did we just describe? The culture. Experience innovative, yet familiar feelings all in one setting with BlaqueStone, the married duo and live band.

Sneaks
6/23/2019 at 6:00 PM

Just as she takes up space in the male-dominated Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area punk scene, Sneaks aka Eva Moolchan takes up space among the patriarchy. Highway Hypnosis, her forthcoming album on Merge Records that will drop in January, plays on hip-hop, post-punk, and invented words to fill a gap between the feminist underground and genre-specific singles charts. Through it, Moolchan joins the resistance forged by queer black feminists who create, explore, empower, conquer, and play bass.

Los Cenzontles
6/24/2019 at 6:00 PM

Like the multi voiced mockingbird, Los Cenzontles presents music and dance from various regions of Mexico. These include canciones rancheras, corridos, boleros, pirekuas of Indigenous Michoacan, and sones jarochos from Southern Veracruz.

The Eurasia Festival
6/25/2019 at 6:00 PM

The Eurasia Festival is a sponsored project of Kyrgyz American Foundation, with the mission to preserve and promote the multicultural heritage of Eurasia within the United States.  This concert presents the festival’s emerging and young artists from around the globe in an eclectic fusion of classical, traditional, folk, jazz, and operatic musical traditions from Eurasian countries.

Presented in collaboration with the Kyrgyz American Foundation.

Astrid Kuljanic: Croatian Farewells
6/26/2019 at 6:00 PM

A musical exploration of Croatian culture presented by acclaimed vocalist Astrid Kuljanic. The program features jazz, world, and original music, as well as traditional song and dance performed by Hrvatska Ruža folklore ensemble.

Kiran Deol
6/27/2019 at 6:00 PM

IN THE FAMILY THEATER

Kiran Deol presents Be Yourself Less. Deol comes to the Kennedy Center by way of the United Kingdom, Florida, India, Nepal, Massachusetts, and most recently California. She has been all over and has learned that while it’s good to do you...sometimes the better option is to be yourself...less.


This program contains mature themes and strong language. 

Free general admission tickets will be distributed in the Hall of States starting at approximately 5 p.m., up to two tickets per person.

This show will not be broadcast

Signature Theatre
6/28/2019 at 6:00 PM

Sisterfire Showcase
6/29/2019 at 6:00 PM

Roadwork brings the social power of music to the Millennium Stage through the spirit of its Sisterfire Festival. Join us for an intergenerational, multiracial, post-genre hour of womensound.  This year’s showcase features: Ysaye Barnwell -- singer, composer, arranger and Sweet Honey In The Rock alum;  Be Steadwell -- vocalist, composer and director; Ariel Horowitz -- violinist, composer, activist; and Yasmin Williams -- acoustic fingerstyle guitarist and composer.  www.roadworkcenter.org

Presented in collaboration with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Social Power of Music.

The Bright Siders : A Tribute to Pete Seeger
6/30/2019 at 6:00 PM

The Bright Siders create music that helps children and families have meaningful conversations about emotions. Founded by award-winning songwriter Kristin Andreassen and Brooklyn-based child psychiatrist Dr. Kari Groff, they have put together a not-to-be-missed program celebrating the life and legacy of Pete Seeger, who would have turned 100 this year. The Bright Siders feature adept musicianship and skillful audience engagement regardless of age. Co-presented in association with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, and the Smithsonian Year of Music.

Presented in collaboration with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

Rio Mira
7/1/2019 at 6:00 PM

Co-produced by Grammy® nominee Ivis Flies and Grammy ® winner Ivan Benavides, Rio Mira is a marimba supergroup with Afro-Pacific binational heritage consisting of some of the most in-demand and respected musicians from Colombia and Ecuador. Their music is the sonic rejoining of the region known as El Pacifico Sur, one connected by history, ecology, and culture and divided by the national borders of Ecuador and Colombia.  

Presented in collaboration with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

Hughes Schools Performing Arts Bolivian Folk Dance Company
7/2/2019 at 6:00 PM

Based in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Hughes Schools promotes cultural pride, academic excellence, and artistic brilliance. Featuring 24 dancers and 10 musicians from ages 14 to 18, this award-winning group has performed throughout Latin American, United States, and Italy. Through song and dance, they demonstrate Bolivia’s remarkable cultural heritage. Hughes Schools is a ASHA/USAID partner. Co-presented in association with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the Smithsonian Year of Music.

Presented in collaboration with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

Mary D. Williams Sings Songs of Protest and Promise
7/3/2019 at 6:00 PM

Join gospel singer and educator Mary D. Williams for a sonic journey of the music from the Civil Rights Movement, and come prepared to participate! A performer and historian, she is a leading voice and authority on the narrative of music and black southern culture. Recognized as one of the best gospel singers in the country, Ms. Williams believes the music of her ancestors still has the power to bring people together today, as it did during slavery and the Civil Rights Movement. Her performance offers a powerful message of faith, freedom, and celebration of the human spirit.Co-presented in association with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the Smithsonian Year of Music.

Presented in collaboration with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

Two Ton Twig
7/5/2019 at 6:00 PM

2019 Wammie Award winners for Best Bluegrass Album, Two Ton Twig, explores the fringes of traditional bluegrass and string band music with their eclectic blend of modern influences. This quartet based in Alexandria, Virginia released their third full-length album in February of this year.

Serenade! Choral Music Festival
7/6/2019 at 6:00 PM

Co-presented with Classical Movements, the ninth annual Serenade! reflects on The Human Journey: Music, Migration and Identity with professional vocal groups, community choral ensembles, and youth choirs alike.

This program is part of The Human Journey.

Serenade! Choral Music Festival
7/7/2019 at 6:00 PM

Co-presented with Classical Movements, the ninth annual Serenade! reflects on The Human Journey: Music, Migration and Identity with professional vocal groups, community choral ensembles, and youth choirs alike.

This program is part of The Human Journey.

Serenade! Choral Music Festival Grand Finale
7/8/2019 at 6:00 PM

IN THE CONCERT HALL

Classical Movements’s ninth annual Serenade! Washington, D.C. Choral Festival concludes on the Concert Hall stage with a truly grand finale: individual performances by The Human Journey ensembles from Iran, Mongolia, Ecuador, Mexico, Canada, France, and Germany, as well as the Serenade! mass choir, led by the 2019 recipient of the Robert Shaw Lifetime Achievement Award, Doreen Rao. Dr. Rao will conduct her second Serenade! mass choir in the world premiere of Refuge—a brand-new work by soprano and composer Patrice Michaels—commissioned by the Eric Daniel Helms New Music Program.

This program is part of The Human Journey.

Free general admission tickets will be distributed in the Hall of Nations starting at approximately 4:30 p.m., up to two tickets per person.

NSO Summer Music Institute
7/9/2019 at 6:00 PM

Students from the NSO Summer Music Institute compete to play a concerto with the NSO SMI Orchestra at their final concert on Sunday, July 28 at 6 p.m. in the Concert Hall as part of a Millennium Stage presentation.

Ilusha Tsinadze
7/10/2019 at 6:00 PM

Singer and guitarist Ilusha Tsinadze immigrated to New York from the Republic of Georgia, bringing with him hauntingly beautiful Georgian melodies.  He and his trio interweave this with contemporary American rock and jazz elements: a mirror of living with one foot in New York City and one foot in a little nation on the Black Sea. 

Target Family Night: All-American Boys Chorus
7/11/2019 at 6:00 PM

Target Family Night: Join the All-American Boys Chorus for an evening of summertime fun. In a return performance to the Kennedy Center, these young singers from California take the audience on an adventure through America’s rich musical heritage.  

Cheick Hamala Diabate
7/13/2019 at 6:00 PM

D.C.-based musician Cheick Hamala Diabate has long explored the connection between America’s traditions and his own griot roots. Like many American string players, including Bela Fleck with whom Diabate has collaborated and performed, Diabate noticed the eerie resemblance of his trusty n’goni and the banjo. In 2007, Diabate’s collaboration with banjo player Bob Carlin, “From Mali to America” (5-String Productions), led to a Grammy® nomination for Best Traditional World Music Album.

WNO Opera Institute
7/14/2019 at 5:45 PM

WNO Opera Institute at American University is a three-week summer program that brings dedicated young singers together to explore opera in a professional and nurturing environment. 

NSO Summer Music Institute Orchestra
7/15/2019 at 6:00 PM

IN THE CONCERT HALL

The NSO Summer Music Institute Orchestra performs Brahms’s Symphony No. 1 in the Concert Hall. Come hear the students in their first concert of the Summer Music Institute.

Free general admission tickets will be distributed in the Hall of Nations starting at approximately 4:30 p.m., up to two tickets per person.

Yanga
7/16/2019 at 6:00 PM

Yanga (American Musicians Abroad Project), is a manifestation of Colombia’s ever expanding musical influence. Sprouting their own distinct branch on the tree of Caribbean music and culture, Yanga cultivates a new sound rooted in the traditional rhythms of the Caribbean coast of Colombia.

Jovino Santos Neto
7/17/2019 at 6:00 PM

Three-time Latin Grammy® nominee Jovino Santos Neto, a master pianist, composer, and arranger, is among the top Brazilian musicians working today. Currently based in Seattle, Washington, he has been closely affiliated with Brazilian master Hermeto Pascoal throughout his career. Neto’s personal style is a creative blend of energetic grooves, deep harmonies, improvisation, lyrical melodies, and great ensemble playing, always inspired and informed by the colorful richness of Brazilian music. 

Sriram Gopal & Friends
7/18/2019 at 6:00 PM

A group of longtime collaborators join drummer/bandleader Sriram Gopal to present a set of improvisational music that draws from jazz and international influences. The band plays material off of Gopal's award-winning 2016 album, The Fourth Stream, as well as original compositions and arrangements from its members.

Black Masala
7/19/2019 at 6:00 PM

Brassy, funky, Black Masala is a DC based genre busting whirlwind of dueling energies, competing harmonies, and driving hypnotic beats.

NSO Project—Apollo 11 @ 50
7/20/2019 at 6:00 PM

NSO Project—Apollo 11 @ 50 is a tribute and celebration to the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. Curated by NASA and the NSO, today’s program will look to the past, present, and future of space exploration.

Lakou Mizik
7/21/2019 at 6:00 PM

Lakou Mizik is a multigenerational collective of Haitian musicians formed in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake. The group includes elder legends and rising young talents, united in a mission to honor the healing spirit of their collective culture and communicate a message of pride, strength, and hope to their countrymen and the world.

Casuarina
7/22/2019 at 6:00 PM

Casuarina is one of the most respected bands of Brazil and is the forefront of the samba/choro renaissance movement that has risen up in Rio de Janeiro in the last few years. They have already brought their "samba made in Brazil" to North America several times, including their past 2016 tour with globalFEST Creole Carnival when they performed more than 35 concerts and workshops in the US and Canada.

Cimarrón
7/23/2019 at 6:00 PM

Cimarrón performs joropo music from the plains of the Orinoco River with a global and contemporary sound. Their powerful scenic force achieves a unique blend of its Andalusian, Indigenous American, and African roots, with impulsive, yet meaningful ethnic singing, amazing stomp dance, and fierce instrumental virtuosity of strings and percussion.

John Scott Dance "Actions"
7/24/2019 at 6:00 PM

Actions, performed by members of Ireland’s John Scott Dance, is a physical conversation between two individuals in empty space. Two outstanding dancers, Mufutau Yusuf and Kevin Coquelard, merge and break apart. The dance material is a battle through the space using physicality, lifts, falls, text, and sound—the dancers alternately throwing their bodies together then fragmenting into threads of raw movement.  Actions is mostly performed in silence, but uses fragments of music by Meredith Monk and Michael Galasso.

The Cedric Watson Trio
7/25/2019 at 6:00 PM

Cedric Watson, a four-time Grammy®–nominated fiddler, singer, accordionist, and songwriter, is one of the brightest contemporary talents to emerge in Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco music over the last decade. Watson’s creative style and obvious joy in playing make him an engaging and exciting performer. Moving with ease between fiddle and accordion, his natural playfulness takes presence on stage. The Cedric Watson Trio also includes multi-instrumentalist Chris Stafford (of the band Feufollet) and rubboardist Desireé Champagne.

Presented in partnership with the Library of Congress Homegrown series with American Folklife Center.

NSO Summer Music Institute Orchestra
7/28/2019 at 6:00 PM

IN THE CONCERT HALL

The NSO Summer Music Institute Orchestra performs Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 in the Concert Hall. The winner of the SMI concerto competition will perform with the orchestra as a result of the finals competition held on the Millennium Stage on July 9. Hear the students in their final concert and the winner of the concerto competition will be chosen. 

Free general admission tickets will be distributed in the Hall of Nations starting at approximately 4:30 p.m., up to two tickets per person.

Dave Meder
7/29/2019 at 6:00 PM

Tonight’s performance celebrates the debut release of pianist and composer Dave Meder. This trio will embark on an ambitious postmodernist outing, traversing a rarely played Thelonious Monk gem, a gospel hymn, a title track inspired by Philip Glass’s Etudes, and original compositions on the cutting edge of modern jazz.

Old Salt Union
7/30/2019 at 6:00 PM

Old Salt Union is an Americana/bluegrass band from St. Louis, Missouri. Old Salt Union has the groove and the chops of a great string band, balanced with infectious Rock ‘n’ Roll energy. Their music occupies that sweet space between Old Crow folk and Yonder Mountain jam—not a bad place to be for a band about to break.  

Suzie Brown
7/31/2019 at 6:00 PM

After years of success in the medical field, Suzie Brown discovered a relentless pull towards music that has now yielded five albums, a succession of songwriting awards, featured placement of her music at retailers like Starbucks and the Gap, and invitations to TEDMED and other conferences around the country, speaking about finding a vulnerability through music that makes her a better doctor. Scot Sax knows his way around a song.  He has been writing them for years, whether it was with his own bands Wanderlust and Feel, or as a purveyor of hits for singers like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.  It was Sax, in fact, who co-wrote the country duo’s Grammy®–winning smash “Like We Never Loved At All.”

BKO Quintet: A Journey into the Heart of Mali
8/1/2019 at 6:00 PM

BKO Quintet: A Journey into the Heart of Mali ventures into the heart of contemporary Malian music, combining two of the West African nation’s most well-known musical traditions, those of the hunter’s harp and the griot’s harp. Their fresh approach translates into an electrified and highly danceable set of music representing the urban scene in Bamako today.

Voices of Carmen
8/3/2019 at 6:00 PM

Voices of Carmen is an urban musical adaption of the iconic opera, Carmen, set in a high school. Filled with fresh, yet familiar renditions, this production also includes 11 original songs and heart-pumping dances and rhythms from Hip Hop, pop, and R&B.

The Washington International Piano Festival
8/4/2019 at 6:00 PM

The Washington International Piano Festival returns to the Kennedy Center for solo and group performances by selected 2019 WIPF participants. Hosted by the Catholic University of America, the festival seeks to provide a learning experience by engaging participants and observers in master classes, lectures, and performances.

Presented in collaboration with the Catholic University of America.

The Washington International Piano Festival
8/5/2019 at 6:00 PM

The Washington International Piano Festival returns to the Kennedy Center for solo and group performances by selected 2019 WIPF participants. Hosted by the Catholic University of America, the festival seeks to provide a learning experience by engaging participants and observers in master classes, lectures, and performances.

Presented in collaboration with the Catholic University of America.

Ever More Nest
8/6/2019 at 6:00 PM

Following the release of its debut album, New Orleans Americana outfit Ever More Nest brings its unique, atmospheric alt-country to the Kennedy Center. Much like their album, Ever More Nest’s live performances feature the emotive, authentic voice of lead singer/songwriter Kelcy Mae, accompanied by the band’s soulful guitar work, shimmering banjo and mandolin, country fiddle, and driving rhythm section.

John Lakota Locklear
8/7/2019 at 6:00 PM

John Lakota Locklear is an old soul—with a love for the blues— from southeastern North Carolina. He is a virtuosic Oglala Lakota-Lumbee blues guitarist and vocalist who plays roots, bottleneck slide, and Piedmont blues style guitar.

Presented in partnership with the Library of Congress Homegrown series with American Folklife Center.
 

Tag, Rag, and Bobtail: Women Belonging to the Army
8/11/2019 at 6:00 PM

The war for American independence rages on, but there is more to it than battlefields and generals. There are also those who belong to the army as its support system. Tag, Rag, and Bobtail: Women Belonging to the Army allows audiences to be immersed in the stories of two women as they share their war, the loyalty to their country, their duty to family, and what they are willing to sacrifice for everything they hold dear.

Meg Okura & The Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble
8/12/2019 at 6:00 PM

Described by the New York Times as the music of “grandiloquent beauty that transitions easily from grooves to big cascades to buoyant swing,” New York–based violinist and composer Meg Okura brings a unique brand of Asian-influenced chamber jazz to Millenium Stage.

The Murphy Beds
8/15/2019 at 6:00 PM

The Murphy Beds is the duo of Eamon O’Leary and Jefferson Hamer, who present traditional and original folk songs with close harmonies and deft instrumental arrangements on bouzouki, guitar, and mandolin.

Presented in partnership with the Library of Congress Homegrown series and the American Folklife Center.

Integriti Reeves
8/16/2019 at 6:00 PM

Join vocalist, composer, and educator Integriti Reeves as she and her ensemble present an exciting and unique mix of jazz standards, Brazilian music, and original compositions.

Blac Rabbit
8/17/2019 at 6:00 PM

Blac Rabbit is an American psychodelic rock band based in Rockaway Beach, Queens. The group is led by twin brothers, songwriters, singers, and guitarists Amiri and Rahiem Taylor, and backed by Patrick Jones, Josh Lugo, and Justin Jagbir.

Target Family Night: The U.S. Air Force Band
8/20/2019 at 6:00 PM

Target Family Night: The U.S. Air Force Band, which strives to inspire American citizens to heightened patriotism and service, offers a concert honoring those who have served.

MK Zulu
8/21/2019 at 6:00 PM

MK Zulu returns to Millennium Stage,  introducing his own ensemble for the very first time. Using his contrasting talents, MK Zulu delivers original sound infusing jazz and Hip Hop production with solid lyrical prowess.

Victory Boyd
8/23/2019 at 6:00 PM

Victory Boyd performs her original music with her band, Infinity’s Song. Each song is a detailed picture filled with colors and textures.

Imani Wj Wright & SwanoDown
8/24/2019 at 6:00 PM

Classically trained musicians Imani Wj Wright and SwanoDown put on an engaging amalgamation of opera, jazz, and R&B. They will perform their most popular pieces, such as “So I Thought,” along with their own renditions of operatic classics.

Saxophone Genesis
8/25/2019 at 6:00 PM

Experience the premiere of five new saxophone chamber music works by five incredible composers: Robert Hasegawa, Robert Morris, Jeffrey Mumford, Osnat Netzer, and Baljinder Sekhon. Local saxophone artist Doug O’Connor leads this performance of new works, supported in large part by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The performers are some of the D.C. area’s most vibrant contemporary music performers, and include guest performances by Kynetic (Kenneth Cox, flute and Laurel Irene, voice).

Presented in collaboration with the DC Comission on the Arts and Humanities.

Oh He Dead
8/28/2019 at 6:00 PM

Oh He Dead is an indie/soul band from Washington, D.C. that combines groovy vibes with deliciously addictive songwriting. Oh He Dead aims to move your feet and your soul.

East River Jazz Collective
8/29/2019 at 6:00 PM

August 29, 2019 is the 99th anniversary of the 1920 birth of saxophonist and composer Charlie “Yardbird” Parker, the innovative creator of Bebop and straight-ahead jazz. East River Jazz Collective – In the Spirit of Bird, performed by The Kent Miller Quartet, offers unique ensembles and interpretations of Charlie Parker’s compositions as well as original music of their own.