Photo by J. Griffin.
The Philadelphia Orchestra, in collaboration with Girard College and Global Citizen’s Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service, will host its 35th annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Tribute Concert on Monday, January 20, at 3:00 pm.
The event, led by conductor Damon Gupton, will take place at the historic Girard College Chapel and is free to the public.
This year’s concert celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. King through a dynamic program that integrates Black cultural traditions and Western classical music. Highlights include performances of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “Total Praise” by Black composers, featuring the Choir of the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts and the Girard College High School Choir.
The program also includes selections from William Grant Still’s Wood Notes and a violin concerto by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, performed by violinist Nathan Amaral. A moving recitation of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech by narrator Charlotte Blake Alston, accompanied by Barber’s Adagio for Strings, will be a centerpiece of the event.
The concert will also be broadcast live on WRTI 90.1 FM, allowing a wider audience to share in the celebration.
Philadelphia Orchestra’s MLK Jr Tribute Concert: Clear Sound provided audio visual services for Philadelphia Orchestra’s Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert at the Girard College Chapel.
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Doris Parent, Chief IDEAS Officer for The Philadelphia Orchestra, emphasized the significance of the event, stating, “This concert is a beautiful example of how music unites us all.”
Todd Bernstein, President of Global Citizen, added, “It reminds us of the rich diversity of people joining together to uphold Dr. King’s values of justice, peace, and freedom.”
The event is sponsored by PECO, along with support from Independence Blue Cross, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Annenberg Foundation, and PNC Arts Alive. PECO has been a long-standing partner of The Philadelphia Orchestra, supporting innovative programming and King Day of Service activities across the region.
This annual tribute continues a tradition started in 1991, honoring Dr. King’s belief in the transformative power of music to inspire change and promote a society free of racial prejudice. Tickets are available at philorch.org/mlk2025.
