Handel and Haydn Society and Museum of African American History Present the Seventh Annual Jubilee Day Concert
Free,Family-Friendly Celebration with Music and Storytelling
H+H Choir performs at 2017 Jubilee Day
December 31, 1:00pm at Trinity Church, Boston
[Boston, MA December 5, 2018] The Handel and Haydn Society and the Museum of African American History once again present the Jubilee Day concert. A signature event of Boston’s First Night celebration, this free concert will take place at the historic Trinity Church in Boston’s Copley Square on Monday, December 31, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. No tickets are necessary to attend.
A celebration with music and storytelling on the 156th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the Jubilee Day concert has become a tradition for families across Boston as they prepare to ring in the New Year. In its seventh year, the concert continues to be a collaboration between two organizations dedicated to preserving and showcasing history.
The music will be inspired by the historic 1863 Jubilee Day concert celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation, at which H+H performed, including pieces from that day and era. Songs will include “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” composed by Julia Ward Howe, a member of the H+H chorus who herself sang in the 1863 performance.
“Music has always played a central role in transformative moments in our nation’s history, creating alliances and a sense of belonging,” said David Snead, President and CEO of the Handel and Haydn Society. “Once again, it is our honor to partner with the Museum of African American History for the Jubilee Day concert and to reflect on the historic significance and continuing power and relevance of the Emancipation Proclamation.”
National Poetry Slam Champion Regie Gibson will join musicians from the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Scott Allen Jarrett. The performance will include narrated passages from the Emancipation Proclamation with a focus on this year’s theme of freedom and justice, commemorating Boston’s historic role in the abolition movement and celebrating the spirit of progress for human rights.
“The Jubilee Day concert with the Handel and Haydn Society is an event we look forward to every year,” said Marita Rivero, President and CEO of the Museum of African American History. “The concert is a powerful way to share the Emancipation Proclamation and remind people of the importance of freedom and justice in our society.”
H+H’s 2018–19 Season Performances include:
| A Baroque Christmas | December 13 + 16 | NEC’s Jordan Hall |
| Mozart + Haydn | January 25 + 27 | Symphony Hall |
| Glories of the Italian Baroque | February 22 + 24 | NEC’s Jordan Hall |
| Beethoven Symphony No. 5 | March 8 + 10 | Symphony Hall |
| Purcell Dido and Aeneas | March 29 + 31 | NEC’s Jordan Hall |
| Mozart Requiem | May 3 + 5 | Symphony Hall |
About the Handel and Haydn Society
The Handel and Haydn Society is internationally acclaimed for its performances of Baroque and Classical music. Based in Boston, H+H’s Orchestra and Chorus delight more than 50,000 listeners each year with a nine concert subscription series at Symphony Hall and other leading venues, in addition to a robust program of intimate events in museums, schools, and community centers. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Harry Christophers, the ensemble embraces historically informed performance, bringing classical music to life with the same immediacy it had the day it was written. Through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, H+H also provides engaging, accessible, and broadly inclusive music education to thousands of children each year. Founded in Boston in 1815, H+H is among the oldest continuously performing classical music ensembles in the United States, and is unique for its longevity, capacity for reinvention, and distinguished history of premieres. For more information, visit handelandhaydn.org.
About the Museum of African American History
The Museum of African American History is New England’s
largest museum dedicated to preserving, conserving and interpreting the
contributions of African Americans. In Boston and Nantucket, the Museum has
preserved two historic sites and Black Heritage Trails that tell the story of
organized black communities from the Colonial Period through the 19th century.
For more information, visit: http://maah.org/
