HGMA Will Host MAKE THEM HEAR YOU Benefit Concert Honoring Adam Blackstone

The Hamilton-Garrett Center for Music & Arts  will present a benefit concert, MAKE THEM HEAR YOU, Saturday, June 6 at 6 p.m. at Boston's Berklee Performance Center. An electrifying showcase of Black music, artistry, and rising talent, the event will honor Grammy Award-winning producer, Emmy Award-winning musical director, and world-renowned bassist, Adam Blackstone, and feature performances by the HG Youth Choir, HG Drumline, the Academy, and the new HG Marching Band. 

In addition to being honored at this year's benefit concert, Blackstone will lend his talents on bass in a special performance with the HG Youth Choir—an all-girls youth choral program for ages 10-18—and the house band, made up of Berklee professors and HGMA faculty. 

One of the most sought-after musical directors in the industry, Blackstone has led live and musical productions for global superstars including Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, and Eminem. He has been instrumental in shaping major cultural moments across television and live entertainment, including the “Super Bowl Halftime Show,” the “Grammy Awards,” the “Oscars,” “The Masked Singer,” and “The Voice.” 

“We're proud to honor Adam Blackstone for his extraordinary contributions to music and his powerful example of leadership, excellence and innovation,” said HGMA Executive and Artistic Director Gerami Groover-Flores. “As a visionary force behind some of the world's most celebrated performances, his commitment to elevating music on a global stage, while opening doors for the next generation of artists, strongly reflects the mission and values at the heart of HGMA.”

MAKE THEM HEAR YOU will also feature dynamic performances by the HG Drumline and the new HG Marching Band. Both programs are guided by artistic advisors from the world-renowned Florida A&M University's Marching 100 and are part of HGMA's Performance Division. 

Established in the Fall of 2022, the HG Drumline brings the vibrant and powerful experience of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Marching Bands to life. Serving students ages 18-24, the program honors and preserves the rich tradition of marching-style drumming rooted in Black musical history. Celebrating a dynamic fusion of sounds from the second-line rhythms of New Orleans, the iconic style of HBCUs, and folkloric traditions that span the African Diasporas, it strives to preserve the essence of these musical traditions while inspiring pride, unity, and creative expression within the community.

Formed in 2025, the HG Marching Band, is a groundbreaking youth arts program currently serving more than 40 students from across Greater Boston and Massachusetts. Designed to inspire, educate, and unite, the program offers young people ages 8-18 access to high-quality music and performance education rooted in the proud traditions of HBCUs. More than just a band, the HG Marching Band is a community movement that cultivates discipline, leadership, and academic ambition through the performing arts.

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