The Gathering: A Collective Sonic Ring Shout

National Black Theatre (NBT), American Composers Orchestra (ACO), and NEWorks Voices of America (NVoA)

Saturday, June 1, 2024 @ 7:30pm – 9:30pm (EDT)

Kennedy Center Opera House, Washington, DC, United States

$51-$114

Chelsea Tipton II, conductor
Nolan Williams, Jr., conductor

Joel Thompson — Seven Last Words of the Unarmed
Carlos Simon — Amen!
Courtney Bryan — Sanctum
Abby Dobson — Selected works
Toshi Reagon — Selected works
Troy Anthony — Selected works
Nona Hendryx — Selected works

Through orchestral, choral, gospel, and soul choral music, this one-night-only event is the signature celebration for The Kennedy Center's Conflux partnership with National Black Theatre (NBT) running May 26–June 2, 2024.

"The Gathering: A Collective Sonic Ring Shout: will take us on a sonic quest produced by National Black Theatre & The Apollo. Taking place in the Opera House at the Kennedy Center, The Gathering will center the soul of Black folks and the heart of America's brilliant and bitter present.

With creative concept and direction by NBT's Executive Artistic Director Jonathan McCrory, and featuring 80 members of the American Composers Orchestra conducted by Chelsea Tipton, II and 48 members of theNEWorks Voices of Inspiration chorale under the leadership of choirmaster Nolan Williams Jr, this night will feature Seven Last Words of the Unarmed by Joel Thompson, alongside Carlos Simon's Amen! and Courtney Bryan's Sanctum. In conjunction with these pieces, the night has been curated in the African tradition of call and response to include original works by genre-defying Black artists such as Abby Dobson, Toshi Reagon, Troy Anthony, and Nona Hendryx.