GRAMMY Award–winning choral ensemble returns to Beverly Hills with concert centered on transgender and non-binary voices.
The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts will welcome back GRAMMY Award–winning vocal ensemble TONALITY on Saturday evening with JUST ME, a concert presented as part of the ongoing partnership between the Los Angeles–based chorus and The Wallis. The performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. under the direction of Executive and Founding Artistic Director Dr. Alexander Lloyd Blake, with ASL interpretation provided.
JUST ME is a choral program focused on the lived experiences of transgender and non-binary individuals, featuring original works and arrangements that address identity, resilience, injustice, and belonging. The concert brings together spirituals, contemporary choral works, and well-known songs that have resonated within LGBTQ+ communities, offering an evening that centers listening, reflection, and shared experience.
The program includes “Abide With Me,” “We Hold Your Name Sacred” by transgender Mexican-American composer Mari Esabel Valverde, Brad Wells’ work inspired by the story of Kalief Browder, Carlos Cordero’s “Let Your True Self Sing,” and Allan Robert Petker’s “The Circle.” Popular selections include “Reflection” from Disney’s Mulan and “True Colors,” written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, a song widely embraced as an LGBTQ+ anthem.
Originally presented in December 2023, JUST ME was attended by Wallis Executive Director and CEO Robert van Leer, who subsequently invited TONALITY to bring the program to The Wallis. Dr. Blake has described the concert as part of TONALITY’s broader mission to foster dialogue through music by centering the voices and experiences of those directly represented in the work.
TONALITY, founded in 2016, is recognized for its commitment to adventurous programming and social engagement through choral music. The ensemble has collaborated with composers across genres and has performed with artists including Taylor Mac, Björk, Tiësto, Kelly Clarkson, and Scott Hoying of Pentatonix. The group received a 2024 GRAMMY Award for its participation in So She Howls by Carla Patullo.
The performance will take place at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. Tickets and additional information are available by calling 310-746-4000 or through The Wallis box office.
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