From the composer’s imagination to the concert hall, watch as emerging composers have their newest works performed for the first time. David Alan Miller, composer Christopher Theofanidis, and musicians of the Albany Symphony guide each new voice through the challenges of composing in the 21st Century. In between the readings, sample new craft beverages from local upstate breweries.

An intimate performance by composer and violinist DBR (Daniel Bernard Roumain), hailed by The New York Times as “about as omnivorous as a contemporary artist gets.”

David Alan Miller, conductor | Regina Carter, violin | Marc Bamuthi Joseph, spoken word artist

Adolphus Hailstork: Symphony No. 4, “Survive”

David Schiff: Selections from Four Sisters

Daniel Roumain & Marc Bamuthi Joseph: Forgiveness, Spoken Word Concerto for Orchestra (world premiere)

A free outdoor community performance by Àṣẹ Dance Theatre Collective, which specializes in dance from the African Diaspora, and Albany Symphony musicians. HKF is a reimagining of ritual dance theater as an action of protest, prayer, and healing. HKF moves the audiences out of the concert hall and into multiple street locations and a world where embodied culture speaks, sings, and moves without fear. Join Adia Tamar Whitaker, dancers from the Àṣẹ Dance Theatre Collective, and musicians from the Albany Symphony for a free Afro-Caribbean music and movement event bringing together elements of Whitaker’s work from her Convergence residency.

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Hip-hop with a love song set list spun by DJs from Collectiveffort.

David Alan Miller, conductor | D’nasya Jordan, soprano | Marquita Richardson, soprano

Horacio Fernández: Unruly (world premiere)

Marie A. Douglas: The Candidate (world premiere)

Kyle Rivera: The Fifth of July (world premiere)

Christian Quiñones: Cienfuegos (world premiere)

Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR): Grace

Jack Frerer: Pop Arrangements, including:
It Don’t Mean a Thing/Take the “A” Train by Duke Ellington, Earth, Wind & Fire Medley, I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston, If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys, Kiss by Prince, Stevie Wonder Medley, and Heard It Through The Grapevine/Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye

Watch and listen as composer and professor Christopher Theofanidis works with talented composers on honing their craft as part of his weeklong AMF workshop Orchestrating for the 21st Century. Hear how it all comes together on Sunday night at First Draughts Reading Sessions.

Regina Carter Quintet

Convergence Curating Artist and NEA Jazz Master Regina Carter leads her quintet in a powerful musical exploration of the impact of urban development in Black and immigrant communities beginning in the 1950s, and the resulting displacement of people, culture, and neighborhoods in Carter’s hometown of Detroit and others. This special performance includes a world premiere addition about the Capital Region featuring musicians from your Albany Symphony.