Juneteenth: Celebration of Freedom
Fri Jun 23, 2023
Orchestra Hall
The Minnesota Orchestra presents a program of celebration and remembrance in honor of Juneteenth, the annual commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. The program primarily features music by African American composers across three centuries.
A Few Things to Know
- Making his Minnesota Orchestra debut, conductor André Raphel served in Wheeling, West Virginia as the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra music director from 2003-2018. He now serves as conductor laureate.
- Juneteenth commemorates when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas were the last to be freed on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
- A long time coming: Though it's often referred to as "America's Second Independence Day," Juneteenth wasn't recognized as a federal holiday until June 2021.
Artists
Minnesota Orchestra
André Raphel
conductor
The Grammy Award-winning Minnesota Orchestra, led by Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård—who is serving as music director designate during the 2022-23 season—is recognized for distinguished performances around the world, award-winning recordings and broadcasts, educational engagement programs, and commitment to building the orchestral repertoire of the future. Founded in 1903, the Orchestra has an extensive history of touring throughout Minnesota, nationally and abroad, including high-profile visits in recent years to Cuba, Europe and South Africa. Recording projects undertaken in the past two decades include complete cycles of symphonies by Beethoven, Sibelius and Mahler, all recorded under Osmo Vänskä, who is now the Orchestra’s conductor laureate.
Accessibility Services
- Armless & Bariatric Chairs
- Assistive Listening Devices
- Large-Print Programs
- Noise-Cancelling Headphones
- Service Animals
- Wheelchair & Accessible Seating
Additional services are available upon request.
Sponsored By
Co-sponsored by Eric and Celita Levinson
