For Immediate Release: August 22, 2013
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH
WYNTON MARSALIS and CHORALE LE CHATEAU
CONDUCTED BY DAMIEN SNEED ANNOUNCE
ABYSSINIAN: A GOSPEL CELEBRATION
U.S. TOUR DATES
Marsalis’ Abyssinian Mass, a landmark collaboration of jazz,
gospel, instrumentation and vocals,
tours U.S. performing arts centers and churches
New York, NY –August 22, 2013 – 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
Chapel Hill, North Carolina – UNC Chapel Hill Memorial Hall
October 5
Norfolk, Virginia – Chrysler Hall
October 6
Washington, D.C. – Kennedy Center
October 8
Charlotte, North Carolina – Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
October 10
Athens, Georgia – University of Georgia
October 11
Augusta, Georgia – Good Shepherd Baptist Church
October 13
New Orleans, Louisiana – Saenger Theatre
October 14
Houston, Texas – Fountain of Praise Church
October 15
Austin, Texas – The Long Center
October 16
Dallas, Texas – The Black Academy of Arts and Letters
October 18
St. Louis, Missouri – Touhill Performing Arts Center
October 19
Kansas City, Missouri – Kaufmann Center for the Performing Arts, Helzberg Hall
October 21
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania – Messiah College
October 22
New Haven, Connecticut – Yale University, Woolsey Hall
October 24-26
New York, New York – Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall
October 27
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.
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