Attend Classical Roots at Music Hall on April 19.
Love and fellowship ring throughout Music Hall for one of Cincinnati’s most anticipated musical traditions of each year! John Morris Russell will conduct the Orchestra and Classical Roots Community Choir, directed by Jason Alexander Holmes, in a program inspired by the spoken word, including American poet Langston Hughes, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and original poetry written and spoken by Poet Laureate of Cincinnati Yalie Saweda Kamara and Youth Poet Laureate of Cincinnati Gabrielle Walker, among others.
The program will include music by composers William Grant Still and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and choral works by Rosephanye Powell and Richard Smallwood. Highlights of the program include music
from the Tony Award-winning musical and newly adapted film The Color Purple and a gospel and hip-hop tribute to the 200th anniversary of Friedrich Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s Symphony No. This year’s performance of Classical Roots also includes rapper and narrator Noah Hawes and
young musicians of the CSO’s Nouveau Program, coached by Marion Peraza.
The featured guest on the program will be internationally renowned, and Cincinnati’s multi-platinum producer and rapper Hi-Tek. He is making his orchestral debut with the CSO.
One of urban music’s most dynamic and prolific producers, Hi-Tek has collaborated with many of the biggest names in the music industry. A suite of his most famous works, including “Respiration,” “The Sun God,” “Round and Round,” “Music For Life,” “Move Something,” “The Blast,” and “Come Down” has been specially orchestrated for this concert.
Tickets to Classical Roots
Tickets to Classical Roots range from $14 – $55.
About Hi-Tek
Firmly entrenched as one of urban music’s most dynamic, respected, and prolific producers, Hip-Hop artist Hi-Tek has produced material for 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Anderson Paak, among others. Hi-Tek was also a 2022 inductee to the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame. He joined fellow honorees Bootsy Collins, Dr. Charles Fold, Otis Williams and the Charms, and the Isley Brothers. Hi-Tek is the first and only hip-hop artist honored among these musical icons.
About John Morris Russell
A renowned conductor, John Morris Russell, has dedicated his career to revitalizing the American orchestral experience. He holds prestigious positions with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Russell collaborated with artists like Aretha Franklin, Emanuel Ax, and Brian Wilson. His commitment to American music has resulted in acclaimed recordings such as American Originals and American Originals: 1918.
About Classical Roots Community Choir
Classical Roots Community Choir is a volunteer group of 150 singers from over 50 churches in the Greater Cincinnati region. They perform in concerts and collaborations that celebrate the rich legacy of African American music and composers. They are led by music directors from different churches and supported by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
About the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its primary concert venue is Music Hall. In addition to its symphony concerts, the orchestra gives pops concerts as the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The Cincinnati Symphony is the resident orchestra for the Cincinnati May Festival, the Cincinnati Opera, and the Cincinnati Ballet. Additionally, the orchestra supports the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra (CSYO), a program for young musicians in grades 9 to 12.
Music Hall Venue Information
Parking
A 450-space underground garage, surface lots, and on-street parking are available near Music Hall. Use the Cincy EZ Park App to pay for parking as appropriate. Take the Cincinnati METRO to the venue.
Accessibility
The accessibility entrance is located on the southeast side of the building on Elm Street. Please ask a Music Hall usher or staff member for additional assistance or directions.
Prohibited Items
Music Hall restricts bag sizes to 12″ x 12″ for your safety. Bags exceeding this designated size, including instrument cases, will not be permitted inside the building beginning September 1, 2023. A staff member can make an exception for individuals with medical necessity. All bags and jackets are subject to inspection at the entrance.
Click Here for a list of prohibited items.
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Images from Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
