LET US BREAK BREAD TOGETHER:
A Tribute to Whitney Houston
Sunday, December 14, 2025, 4-6pm,
Paramount Theatre, Oakland
Kedrick Armstrong, conductor
Dee Dee Simons, vocal soloist, Lena Byrd Miles, vocal soloist
Mickala Cheadle, vocal soloist, Mariachi Bonitas
Oakland Symphony Chorus, Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, Oakland Interfaith Gospel Youth Choir
Kev Choice, keyboards, Dame Drummer, drums
Uriah Duffy, bass, Kelyn Crapp, guitar
| CHRISTMAS OVERTURE | Samuel Coleridge-Taylor; Arr. by Sydney Baynes | |
| LET US BREAK BREAD TOGETHER | Choral Arr. by Terrance Kelly; Orch. Arr. by Omid Zoufonoun Oakland Symphony, Combined Choruses, | |
| ONE WISH (FOR CHRISTMAS) | Freddie Jackson, Gordon Chambers, and Barry Eastmond Arr. by Mike Blankenship Oakland Symphony , Lena Byrd Miles, vocal soloist, Oakland Interfaith Trio, Kev Choice, keyboards, Dame Drummer, drums, Uriah Duffy, bass, Kelyn Crapp, guitar | |
| SLEIGH RIDE | Leroy Anderson Oakland Symphony, | |
| O HOLY NIGHT | Adolphe Adam, John Sullivan Dwight; Oakland Symphony, Lena Byrd Miles, vocal soloist, Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir | |
| EL SON DE LA NEGRA | Blas Galindo Mariachi Bonitas | |
| ARRE BORRIQUITO | Traditional Spanish Christmas carol; Arr. by Omid Zouzonoun Mariachi Bonitas, Oakland Symphony | |
| WHO WOULD IMAGE A KING | Mervyn Warren & Hallerin Hilton Hill; Arr. by Sheet Music Direct Oakland Symphony, Lena Byrd Miles, vocal soloist, OIGC Youth Chorus | |
| JOY TO THE WORLD from THE PREACHER’S WIFE | Isaac Watts; Arr. by Hansen Charts Oakland Symphony, Lena Byrd Miles,vocal soloist, Combined Choruses, Kev Choice, keyboards, Dame Drummer, drums, Uriah Duffy, bass, Kelyn Crapp, guitar | |
| HALLELUJAH CHORUS from MESSIAH | George Frideric Handel Oakland Symphony, Combined Choruses | |
| INTERMISSION | ||
| MAGNIFICAT IN D (Mvt. 1) | Johann Sebastian Bach Oakland Symphony, | |
| A CHRISTMAS MONSTER | Vincent Tsai Oakland Symphony | |
| I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU | Dolly Parton; Arr. by Drew Zamera Oakland Symphony. Dee Dee Simon, vocal soloist, Kev Choice, keyboards, Dame Drummer, drums, Uriah Duffy, bass, Kelyn Crapp, guitar | |
| I HAVE NOTHING | David Foster and Linda Thompson; Arr. by Drew Zamera Oakland Symphony. Mickala Cheadle, vocal soloist, Kev Choice, keyboards, Dame Drummer, drums, Uriah Duffy, bass, Kelyn Crapp, guitar | |
| SYMPH-HANUKKAH | Peter Jaffe Oakland Symphony | |
| I’M YOUR BABY TONIGHT | Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds; Arr. by Mike Blankenship Oakland Symphony, Mickala Cheadle and Dee Dee Simon, vocal soloists, Oakland Symphony Chorus, Kev Choice, keyboards, Dame Drummer, drums, Uriah Duffy, bass, Kelyn Crapp, guitar | |
| A CAROL SYMPHONY; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen | Victor Hely-Hutchinson Oakland Symphony | |
| WHITNEY HOUSTON FINALE SO EMOTIONAL | Arr. by Lenny Wee | |
| HOW WILL I KNOW | George Merrill & Shannon Rubicam | |
| I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY | George Merrill & Shannon Rubicam Dee Dee Simon and Mickala Cheadle, vocal soloists, Combined Choruses, Kev Choice, keyboards, Dame Drummer, drums, Uriah Duffy, bass, Kelyn Crapp, guitar | |
Season Presenting Sponsor: Bell Investment Advisors
Season Wine Sponsor: Retzlaff Vineyards
Welcome to this year’s edition of “Let Us Break Bread Together,” again conducted and hosted by Music Director Kedrick Armstrong. This year’s edition pays tribute to the legendary voice of Whitney Houston.
Kedrick has been energized by “Let Break Bread Together” and all of you in the house bring to it:
“When I first came to Oakland, the concert that everyone talked about was Let Us Break Bread Together. This was a concert that I knew that I had to perform and deliver. And I was so impressed by the legacy of Michael and so many others who had started this concert.
“My background is in all kinds of music. I grew up as a gospel musician. I love jazz, I love hip hop, I love funk, I love house. There's so much. And this concert is a celebration in which we get to bring all of those genres and collide them with the symphony orchestra.
“And this is absolutely what the Oakland community loves about this concert. The fact that they can come dance up and down the aisles, feel seen and loved and embraced by their community, all by witnessing their orchestra on stage. There is nothing more beautiful than to look over my shoulder and see people dancing in the balconies or dancing up and down the aisles.”
The Kedrick/Oakland partnership has been engaging audiences across the Bay area. There are three more concerts this season conducted by Kedrick. You can find a link to them here Ticketed Events.
After experiencing this “Break Bread” performance, you’ll want to return, and we’ll be thrilled to welcome you back. The next Oakland Symphony concert is on February 20, “To These Shores,” with music of Chen Yi, Reena Esmail, Daniel Bernard Roumain, and Gustav Mahler, composers who came to America and were inspired to compose here.
And at that concert, Kedrick will reveal the 2026-27 season. You’ll want to be here in the Paramount for this exciting announcement.
On behalf of all of us at the Oakland Symphony, we wish you a very happy holiday season and best wishes for all in the New Year.
Warmly,
Dr. Mieko Hatano,
Chief Executive Officer
| Linden Bairey |
| Natalie Briseno ** |
| Jessica Farmer |
Gaoping Geddes |
Rachel McMahan |
Sylvie Mwila-Jonath |
Roseline Okpara |
Christine Osborne |
| Sydney Painter |
| Phoebe Stuart |
| David Mao ** |
| Mark Miles |
