The Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA) a non-profit arts organization dedicated to supporting Black classical musicians and others in the performing arts by “Bringing Color to the Classics!” presents “On One Accord: Jewish American and African American Composers” on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 6:00 pm on Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC.  The multi-cultural event features internationally known classical musicians soprano Arianna Zukerman and tenor Issachah Savage, with composer Sam Post, and narrator Betty Entzminger.  Dr. Lester Green accompanies the singers on the piano with visuals by Norjay Wiggins. 

“We are excited to present this musical tribute, which also ties in poignant narration and a moving visual presentation”, stated CAAPA Board Chair Pamela Simonson who currently performs with the Washington National Opera. Simonson and her brother Victor Simonson, a composer, music director, and piano virtuoso co-founded the organization almost 15 years ago to give back to the community. 

“I want to celebrate cultural similarities by featuring renowned musicians from both the Jewish and Black communities”, Simonson also a native Long Island, New Yorker continued by pointing out that Zukerman is considered one of the premiere vocal artists of her generation and hailed by The Washington Post for her “round high notes and exquisite pianissimos (that) would make any soprano jealous”, while Savage was praised for his “impressive natural instrument” by Opera News. Simonson went on to hail award-winning pianist and composer Post who will perform two original pieces during the concert and narrator Entzminger a dramatic actress who starred in For The Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf and Don't Sing No Blues For Me.  Simonson went on to explain that even in the concert’s title “On One Accord”, it signifies the coming together of two…on one accord and a chord, as in music, any harmonic set of pitches consisting of two or more notes that are heard as if sounding simultaneously.  “This concert is indeed symbolic in many ways”, Simonson concluded, “the musical melding together of two cultures”.

The performance is featured as part of the Kennedy Center's free daily performance series on its Millennium Stage in the Grand Foyer: Click here with no free parking provided for the event.

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