New York, NY — On Friday May 30, 2025, at 8 PM, the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra will present a concert at Stern Auditorium in Carnegie Hall conducted by Kenneth Kiesler featuring soloists Karen Slack, soprano, Goitsemang Lehobye, soprano, and Daniel Washington, bass.

Complete Program:
BERNSTEIN On the Waterfront Symphonic Suite
GERSHWIN Selections from Porgy and Bess
DAWSON Negro Folk Symphony
TRADITIONAL “You Can Tell the World” (arr. by Bonds)
TRAD. “Deep River” (arr. Davis)
TRAD. “Witness” (arr. Smith)

Leonard Bernstein’s On the Waterfront Symphonic Suite elevated film music to serious concert status, capturing the film’s urban grit while standing alone as art. Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess selections represent a groundbreaking fusion of classical, jazz, and folk traditions into a distinctly American operatic language. After traveling to Africa, composer William Dawson infused the rich traditions of African folk music into his Negro Folk Symphony, conveying the unique story of African Americans. Its 1934 premiere in Philadelphia and at Carnegie Hall received rare critical acclaim and sparked widespread public excitement. 

Three traditional spirituals, arranged by Bonds, Davis, and Smith respectively, demonstrate how these essential American musical treasures have been preserved through thoughtful arrangements that honor their emotional depth and cultural significance.  In dialogue with the spirituals woven into Dawson’s symphony, and in homage to the unforgettable 1993 concert by Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman, these spirituals will be performed by the acclaimed guest artists: Goitsemang Lehobye, Daniel Washington, and Karen Slack—fresh off her GRAMMY win for Best Solo Vocal Album just weeks ago. 

Kenneth Kiesler, Director of Orchestras and Professor of Conducting, says, “These performances are not just concerts—they’re conversations across time, place, and culture.” The orchestra will be bringing that spirit with them as they arrive in New York City directly from a 12-day tour of South Africa. Together, these works form a crucial lineage of American music bridging classical traditions with Black American musical heritage.

At University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra’s most recent appearance at Carnegie Hall, they performed Mahler’s Fifth Symphony alongside the New York premiere of The Old Burying Ground, a haunting and deeply moving song cycle by Evan Chambers.

Tickets are $16-70 and are available at carnegiehall.org, the Carnegie Hall Box Office at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, or by calling Carnegie Hall at 212-247-7800. Carnegie Hall is located at 881 Seventh Avenue in New York City.          

Watch University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra performing Respighi’s Pines of Rome below: