“Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration Tour” | 2013 U.S. Tour Dates

(New York, NY) – Raise your voices and lift your hearts as the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Damien Sneed, and the 70-piece Chorale Le Chateau announce Abyssinian:  A Gospel Celebration Tour, an historic hand–clappin’, tambourine-slappin’ celebration scheduled to take place in performing arts centers and churches in the U.S.

On this unique tour, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Damien Sneed, and Chorale Le Chateau will perform Marsalis’ composition Abyssinian Mass, a landmark collaboration of jazz, gospel, instrumentation, and vocals.  The Abyssinian Gospel Tour kicks off in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on October 3 and ends in Boston, Massachusetts on October 27 (see tour dates below). 

Since Marsalis composed and recorded In This House, On This Morning two decades ago, he has remained committed to projecting a theme of universal humanism — and raising a joyful noise —while reflecting the form of the African American church service.  Never has Marsalis coalesced the codes of sacred and secular expression more successfully than with the 2008 extended work Abyssinian Mass, commissioned to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Abyssinian Baptist Church on West 138th Street in Harlem.

In select cities, Abyssinian:  A Gospel Celebration Tour will include education initiatives curated by conductor Damien Sneed and utilizing the talents of gospel artist and educator Karla Scott to engage thousands of high school age choir students to community choir members.  In workshop settings, the young participants will study and perform select movements from Abyssinian Mass.  These workshops will be supported by online videos featuring Damien Sneed discussing the history of gospel music, cultural background and its relevant styles, as well as specific rehearsal techniques.

ABYSSINIAN:  A GOSPEL CELEBRATION 2013 U.S. TOUR DATES

 
October 3-4, 2013
Chapel Hill, North Carolina – UNC Chapel Hill Memorial Hall

October 5, 2013
Norfolk, Virginia – Chrysler Hall

October 6, 2013
Washington, D.C. – Kennedy Center

October 8, 2013
Charlotte, North Carolina – Friendship Missionary Baptist Church

October 10, 2013
Athens, Georgia – University of Georgia

October 11, 2013
Augusta, Georgia – Good Shepherd Baptist Church

October 13, 2013
New Orleans, Louisiana – Saenger Theatre

October 14, 2013
Houston, Texas – Fountain of Praise Church

October 15, 2013
Austin, Texas – The Long Center

October 16, 2013
Dallas, Texas – The Black Academy of Arts and Letters

October 18, 2013
St. Louis, Missouri – Touhill Performing Arts Center

October 19, 2013
Kansas City, Missouri – Kaufmann Center for the Performing Arts, Helzberg Hall

October 21, 2013
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania – Messiah College

October 22, 2013
New Haven, Connecticut – Yale University, Woosley Hall

October 24-26, 2013
New York, New York – Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall

October 27, 2013
Boston, Massachusetts – Symphony Hall

 
Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration is made possible through the generous lead support of the Steward Family Foundation and Ray and Barbara Dalio.  Additional support is provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Jazz at Lincoln Center proudly acknowledges its major corporate partners: Bloomberg, Brooks Brothers, The Coca-Cola Company, Con Edison, Entergy, HSBC Bank, The Shops at Columbus Circle at Time Warner Center, Qatar Airways,and SiriusXM.

MasterCard® is the preferred card of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Qatar Airways is a Premier Sponsor and the Official Airline Sponsor
of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

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