91短视频鈥檚 piano virtuoso David Berry is gathering his friends for a celebration of music and community. And, he鈥檚 bringing along a special guest: a Grammy Award-winning violinist who鈥檚 performed in sold-out stadiums with Beyonc茅 and Jay-Z.

The David Berry and Friends concert, back by popular demand for a third straight year, returns to Martin Chapel on Friday, March 15, at 7 p.m. The concert is free to attend and open to the public. A suggested $10 donation can be made online . 

Berry, music program director at 91短视频 as well as the night鈥檚 featured pianist, said the purpose of the concert is to bring members of the community together for a diverse repertoire of classical, jazz, soul, spirituals and gospel music. 

鈥淎ll of these styles have been a part of my life,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd I鈥檒l be performing with people I鈥檝e gotten to know from different corners of our community.鈥�

Who鈥檚 on stage

The talented artists joining Berry on stage include: Grammy-nominated cellist Amanda Gookin, saxophonist Josh Dove, drummer and 91短视频 music alum Joseph Harder, bassist Joseph Nichols, multi-genre singers Michael Richardson and Devonte Garcia, actress Andre谩 Bellamore, and special guest artist, violinist Lady Jess.

During the concert, Berry will share stories of how he knows the musicians performing with him. For example, Dove is the owner of , a Harrisonburg, Virginia, store that helped Berry move a piano into his home.

Berry and have performed together in New York City with the Harlem Chamber Players. The violinist is a soloing member of Beyonc茅鈥檚 band and joined the Single Ladies singer and Jay-Z during their On The Run II tour in 2018. She also performed with Beyonc茅 at the Coachella festival (2018) and appeared in the Netflix concert film Homecoming (2019). Lady Jess has played with The Roots on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and collaborated with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys and Hans Zimmer 鈥� arranging and recording with the latter for the live-action The Lion King soundtrack.

Gookin is the executive director of the and works with Berry, its artistic director, to plan the annual weeklong event. Her cello music has been described as 鈥渢he highest level of artistry鈥� () and she鈥檚 been praised for her 鈥渆xpert technical work鈥� (The Strad).

Both of the night鈥檚 vocalists are students at James Madison University. Berry described Richardson’s voice as big, booming and baritone, and Garcia’s as 鈥渁mazing and soulful.鈥�

What to expect

The concert will feature works ranging from Antonin Dvo艡谩k鈥檚 Piano Trio No. 3 in F-minor, Op. 65, to soulful classics by Alicia Keys and Walter Hawkins.

Dvo艡谩k was a Czech composer from the 19th century best known for his “New World Symphony.” Berry described the piece he’ll be playing with Gookin and Lady Jess as “a full journey.鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 a classical masterwork of chamber music,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 influenced by a love of Bohemian folk music.鈥�

Berry said Lady Jess will meet with 91短视频 music students the day before the concert and talk to them about pursuing a career in music. In a recent about the concert, Lady Jess said she was 鈥渧ery excited to meet these students and to collaborate with some incredible artists.鈥�

This event will be livestreamed on the Facebook page.

Where: Lehman Auditorium
When: 7 p.m., Friday
Cost: Free, with suggested donation of $10 to $20
Online:

91短视频鈥檚 2023 Music Gala Concert, says David Berry, is a labor of love for so many people.

The upcoming concert will showcase three talented guest artists and every music ensemble on campus collaborating in a special evening of dance, poetry, jazz and world music. Two compositions written for the event will premiere. And the university choir and chamber orchestra will pair up to perform Beethoven鈥檚 “Ode to Joy,” featuring soloists Olivia Rominiyi, Sarah Hamilton, Jordan Davidson, and Shannon Kiser.

鈥淲e鈥檙e celebrating the connectedness of community and humanity across the globe and what we can do when we come together,鈥� said Berry, music program director at 91短视频. 

The concert, fittingly titled Together, begins at 7 p.m. on Friday in Lehman Auditorium. It is free to attend, with to help support 91短视频 Music.

The World Has Changed

Embodying the theme of collaboration, an actress, dancer, orchestra and choir will join together to perform The World Has Changed. The interdisciplinary piece, based on the poetry of Alice Walker, will see its world premiere at the gala. 

composed the score for The World Has Changed. Wadsworth, an assistant professor of music at Williams College, also wrote music for this year鈥檚 Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. His compositions have been performed at The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and at Westminster Abbey for Queen Elizabeth II.

The World Has Changed will feature a narration of Walker鈥檚 poetry from actress of the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton. “We needed a voice that would communicate the text well with the orchestra, with the choir and with the dance, so we knew we needed someone special for that,” Berry said. He credited 91短视频 Provost Tynisha Willingham, a board member of the theater company, with connecting Bellamore with the production.

Paula Facci, an assistant professor at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, will perform a dance that her class, Creative Approaches to Peacebuilding, helped to choreograph.

Berry described the music of The World Has Changed as 鈥渆thereal, powerful and soulful鈥� and said the composition serves as 鈥渁 celebration of what could be.鈥�

Amahoro Suite

The other original piece premiering at the concert will be the world jazz fusion composition Amahoro Suite by , a man of many talents and cultures.

The Liberian-German composer, musician, singer, storyteller and pastor plays jazz flute, piano and percussion. He鈥檚 performed in Vatican City for Pope John Paul II and at Madison Square Garden. He is the director of , a Christian ministry affiliated with Mosaic Mennonite Conference.

鈥淗e鈥檚 really just an amazing artist and person,鈥� Berry said. 

Makinto and his wife, Mukarabe, will recite poetry as part of Amahoro Suite. Amahoro is the Kirundi 鈥� the official language of Burundi 鈥� expression for 鈥減eace.鈥� Amahoro Suite will include musical performances from Makinto and the 91短视频 Jazz Band. 

鈥淚t鈥檒l involve all kinds of things from Duke Ellington to djembe ensemble to African jazz flute,鈥� Berry said.

‘Ode to Joy’

Those attending the concert will be treated to a choir and orchestra recital of “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven鈥檚 Symphony No. 9. The ode, with its lyrics by poet Friedrich Schiller, has been sung at important movements throughout history to inspire and instill courage and hope, Berry said. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a symbol, since it鈥檚 creation, of our shared humanity, our connectedness as a human race,鈥� he said. 

In the days leading up to the concert, about 1,500 students from Harrisonburg and Rockingham County will watch Makinto perform music and share stories as part of a unique collaboration with . 91短视频 Music is a premier artist partner with The Kennedy Center-sponsored arts education nonprofit. 

Other collaborative partners for this event include the American Shakespeare Center, the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, 91短视频’s Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival and sponsor Everence Federal Credit Union.

For those who cannot attend in person, a livestream will be available to watch online through the .