Beyond Category: The Concert Music of Duke Ellington

Drew Peterson, pianist

Josephine Baker

John Edward Hasse, guest curator

Felix Conteras, conga

Ellington Carthan, pianist and narrator

Jeffrey Mumford, guest curator

Annie Jacobs-Perkins, cello

Katerina Burton, soprano

CAAPA Choir

Robin De Jesús, actor

David Strathairn, actor

Kevork Mourad, artist

Derek Goldman, playwright/director

José Sacín, bass baritone (Don Quihote)

Israel Lozano, tenor (Master Peter)

Jennifer Zetlan, soprano (Trujaman)

Ricardo Marlow, Flamenco guitar

Philip Kennicott, guest curator

Hany Hassan FAIA, visuals

Flávio Chamis, guest curator

André Mehmari, pianist and composer

Tatjana Mead Chamis, viola

Elin Melgarejo, vocalist

Jerod Tate, guest curator

Nino Rota, composer

Beyond Category: The Concert Music of Duke Ellington

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With a career that spanned 50 years, DC native and American icon, Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, is known around the world for such jazz standards as Mood Indigo, Solitude, and his band’s signature tune Take the “A” Train composed by collaborator Billy Strayhorn. But, Ellington sought to break out of stereotyped boxes, to explore broader creative horizons. His masterworks include scores for ballet, opera, motion pictures, and Broadway musicals as well as for symphony orchestras. This spring we journey through the music of Ellington’s extraordinary yet little-known concert pieces, including his magnificent Black, Brown, and Beige, the suite from the ballet The River, and the debut of Scott Silbert’s orchestration of Caravan featuring guest conguero Felix Contreras.

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Program

Concert

Beyond Category: The Concert Music of Duke Ellington

Tuesday, April 16, 2024, 7:30pm

Terrace Theater | The Kennedy Center | 2700 F St NW, Washington, DC

Presented without intermission

John Edward Hasse, guest curator

Ellington Carthan, piano and narrator

Felix Contreras, conga

PostClassical Ensemble conducted by Angel Gil-Ordóñez

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PROGRAM

Duke Ellington: Dancers in Love

Duke Ellington: Black, Brown, and Beige

Duke Ellington: excerpts from the film Anatomy of a Murder

Duke Ellington: A Single Petal of a Rose

Duke Ellington: Suite from The River

Duke Ellington: Where is the Music?

arr. Scott Silbert

Duke Ellington: Caravan

arr. Scott Silbert

Post-Concert Discussion

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What people are saying

So many thanks for that most inspiring, capacious evening. With PCE’s usual ability to surprise and delight… that symphony was astonishing…

Kate

Your leadership and dramatic shaping of the Symphony last night was truly masterful - and so inspiring. I know I’ll never forget this experience. Thank you, Maestro!

Chris

I loved the intimacy of the ensemble and the aching beauty of the melody repeating and recurring and turning up where I did not expect it . And I found the quality of the sound thrilling.

That was my take on the concert --that and the tears that it brought to my eyes, simply to be there, to be present at the creation of something so beautiful..

Michaele

What a perfect PCE evening, wonderful concert and lovely gathering

Liz

Angel, You are so musical! I've played the 4th twice, it was the first Mahler I heard as a kid, and I'm invariably disappointed that conductors don't let it breathe. U nailed it.

David

Congratulations again to you and your superb ensemble on a wonderful and provocative performance in the Terrace Theater last evening. As always, we learned something from this concert and it was fun, too.

Alec

Everything about it was sheer delight, including the lively and interesting talk at the end…

Catherine

Beyond Category: The Concert Music of Duke Ellington

Beyond Category: The Concert Music of Duke Ellington

Beyond Category: The Concert Music of Duke Ellington

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