HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA [January 4, 2024] – The Virginia Symphony Orchestra will present its annual concert paying homage to the life of visionary civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on January 14th & 21st, 2024.
A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be held Sunday, January 14th, 2024, at 7 PM in the Second Calvary Baptist Church, located at 2940 Corprew Ave in Norfolk, Virginia.
A second concert will be held Sunday, January 21st at 4 PM at I. C. Norcom High School, located at 1801 London Blvd in Portsmouth, Virginia.
These concerts are FREE, but registration is encouraged.
Presented in collaboration with the City of Norfolk, and the City of Portsmouth, these concerts will feature Conductor, Everett McCorvey, Patrick Riddick & D’vyne Worship, the Amandla Quartet, and soloists including youth soloist Summer Littles, and vocalist Alicia Russell Tagert.
Speakers during this concert will include Host Pastor, Rev. Geoffrey Guns, Second Calvary Baptist Church-Norfolk, VA; Pastor Jerome Barber, Sixth Mt. Zion Baptist Church-Hampton, VA; Pastor Robert Lee, Collinsworth Agape Baptist Church-Portsmouth, VA; and Pastor Jamaar Jones, First Baptist East End-Newport News, VA.
Dr. McCorvey is the founder and Music Director of the American Spiritual Ensemble, a group of 24 professional singers performing spirituals and other compositions of African American composers dedicated to keeping the American Negro Spiritual alive. McCorvey’s selections for this concert focus on music that celebrates African American compositions and the people who helped it thrive through the centuries.
Other selections for this concert include Antonin Dvorák’s, “Concerto in A Minor for Violin & Orchestra,
Paul Moravec’s “Rain” from Sanctuary Road, and William Grant Still’s, “Festive Overture.” William Grant Still is a descendant of William Still a conductor for the Underground Railroad, and writer of Sanctuary Road.
Additionally, Patrick Riddick & D’vyne Worship will perform his arrangement of “The Best is Yet to Come,” and…(awaiting second selection) The Amandla Quartet will also perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
The VSO will present its annual Dreamer Award to both Captain Janet Days at the Norfolk, VA performance and to Dr. Darlene Spears Washington at the Portsmouth, VA performance.
Capt. Janet H. Days, a native of Chicago, graduated summa cum laude from Old Dominion University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in Business and received her commission through Naval ROTC via the Enlisted Commissioning Program. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School and concurrently earned the Naval War College command and staff diploma. She is also a graduate of the Joint and Combined Warfighting School at Joint Forces Staff College and is a qualified joint specialty officer.
To learn more about this free concert, visit virginiasymphony.org or call 757.892.6366.
These performances are supported in part by the Arts Alliance, the Newport News Arts Commission, the York County Arts Commission, the Williamsburg Area Arts Commission, the City of Norfolk, the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission and the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Funding also provided by Sentara Healthcare, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s Regional Presenting Partner for our 2022-2023 season.
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As the region’s most celebrated musical, educational, and entrepreneurial arts organization, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra continues to challenge expectations and push the boundaries of what an American orchestra can be. Innovation and excellence are at the heart of the VSO’s narrative.
The VSO has received national attention for its unique mission serving a home area of 1.7 million across the diverse communities of southeastern Virginia. Through appearances at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall and commitment to adventurous programming, the VSO and its musicians have been highlighted in the media including The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Public Radio and BBC Worldwide News.
As the largest performing arts organization in southeastern Virginia, the VSO and VSO Chorus present more than 150 concerts and events annually for more than 100,000 residents and visitors. Recent innovations include health and wellness programs, including interactive therapeutic experiences for people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and adopting welcoming concert environments for those who are neurodiverse. Since 2019, the VSO has been recognized nationally for striving to reflect the region’s ethnic and racial diversity in its members, its programming, and its leadership.
The selection of the young and dynamic conductor Eric Jacobsen as music director in 2021 was another bold step forward for the VSO, further expanding its vision to attract wider and larger audiences with engaging concert experiences and creative and relevant programming. Rounding out the artistic leadership team is Norfolk native Thomas Wilkins in the role of Principal Guest Conductor, reflecting the VSO’s commitment to tell its community’s stories and advance the important conversations that will promote understanding and belonging among all residents.
