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Classical Roots
A much-beloved Queen City tradition
About the Concert

SAT MAR 15, 2025, 7:30 PM
Music Hall

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Program

John Morris Russell, conductor
Classical Roots Community ChoirJason Alexander Holmes, resident conductor
Cincinnati Black Theatre Company Liturgical Dancers
Ijo-Ugo West African Performing Arts
Revolution Dance Theatre
Nouveau ProgramMarion Peraza, artistic advisor and coach
QKidz Dancers
AC Lincoln, tap dancer

Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing — James Weldon Johnson

Nigerian Dances Nos. 1 and 3 — Samuel Akpabot

“Ring Shout” from Four Black American Dances — Carlos Simon

“A Real Slow Drag” from Treemonisha — Scott Joplin

Danse Negre — Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Happy — Pharrell Williams

Gimme a Fifth O’ Funk — Ludwig van Beethoven

INTERMISSION 

Stompin’ at the Savoy — Edgar Sampson

I’ve Been ‘Buked — Hall Johnson

The Mooche — Edward K. (“Duke”) Ellington

Caravan — Juan Tizol and Edward K. (“Duke”) Ellington

The Charleston — James P. Johnson

Anthem of Praise — Richard Smallwood

Electric Boogie (The Electric Slide) — Bunny Wailer

These performances are approximately 100 minutes long, including intermission.


The CSO is grateful to IDEA Series Sponsor Fifth Third Foundation, Performance Sponsor JRH Consultants, Show Sponsor Metro and Digital Access Partner CVG Airport Authority

The Classical Roots Concert is made possible by The National Endowment for the Arts.

The Nouveau Program is generously sponsored by The Queen City (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is grateful for the support of the Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund of the Greenacres Foundation and the Nina Browne Parker Trust, and for the thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts

Pre-Concert Talks are made possible by an endowed gift from Melody Sawyer Richardson.

WGUC is the Media Partner for these concerts.

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in-orchestra Steinway piano is made possible in part by the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust.

Listen to selections from this program on 90.9 WGUC June 15, 2025 at 8 pm, followed by 30 days of streaming at cincinnatisymphony.org/replay.