Celebrate Black History Month On The Kimmel Center Cultural Campus

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, along with Resident Company support, celebrates Black History Month this February with an array of programming honoring African American artistic expression and culture.

"The Kimmel Center Cultural Campus brings broad and diverse programming to Philly's audiences of all ages all year long; however, February is particularly special as we present world-renowned musicians, educational outreach through the Kimmel Center's Jazz4Freedom program, celebrations, and conversations that center around Black History Month," said Ed Cambron, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts' Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer. "This is just one more opportunity for us to shine a spotlight on just a few creative contributions and artistic expressions these artists have gifted to us all as a society."

February kicks off with the jazz soloists and ensemble players: The Bad Plus premieres for the first time with its newest member, Philadelphian Orrin Evans, at the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater on Saturday, February 9. Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis returns to the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall for a one-night-only performance on Sunday, February 10.

FREE at the Kimmel programming continues during Black History Month with various celebrations, including Sittin' in: Live Sessions on Wednesday, February 6 and PNC Grow Up Great with former Kimmel Center Jazz Resident Kendrah Butler on Saturday, February 9. The Kimmel Center's Education department will continue its second month of Jazz4Freedom activities, reaching 4th graders from the Philadelphia School District and Archdiocesan Schools for a day of learning through music on our Kimmel Center Cultural Campus. Students experience a pre-show class, attend a concert celebrating the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., and enjoy a post-show class exploring the civil rights movement through Jazz.

Audiences will trace the arc of the incredible Marian Anderson's life and her once in a generation voice in Once in a Hundred Years: The Life and Legacy of Marian Anderson, shown Thursday, February 23 in the Perelman Theater. Directed by Bill Nicoletti, the film depicts the young girl from South Philadelphia who fought to break down the barriers of segregated 1930's America with her legendary singing. On Friday, February 22 in Perelman Theater, two of today's most sought-after vocalists-Philadelphia native and opera superstar Eric Owens and 2017 "Male Singer of the Year" Lawrence Brownlee- join forces for a special evening of American popular songs, traditional spirituals, opera arias, and gospel favorites with the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and Craig Terry on piano.

With the voice of a different kind, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, Bryan Stevenson, comes to Verizon Hall on Monday, February 25 as part of the Philadelphia Speaker Series, presented by Widener University. Stevenson has challenged bias in the criminal justice system and helped achieve court decisions that prohibit sentencing children to death or life imprisonment without parole. His memoir Just Mercy was on Time magazine's "10 Best Books of Nonfiction."

Below is a full list of Black History Month offerings in chronological order:

*denotes event that must be scheduled by educator

SITTIN' IN: LIVE SESSIONS

FREE AT THE KIMMEL

Wednesday, February 6, 2018

8 pm-Doors open

9 pm-Music begins

Commonwealth Plaza, Kimmel Center

The February program celebrates Sittin' In's founder and artistic director Anthony Tidd with a Birthday Bash featuring some of Philly's favorite artists including Orrin Evans, Ernest Stuart, Khary Shaheed, Ursula Rucker, Laurin Talese, and Lady Alma. (FREE)

PNC GROW UP GREAT

FREE AT THE KIMMEL

Saturday, February 9, 2019 at 11AM

Commonwealth Plaza, Kimmel Center

Join us in the Kimmel Center's Commonwealth Plaza for an hour of interactive fun! At Grow Up Great, children learn the basics of Jazz with former Kimmel Center Jazz Residency artist Kendrah Butler. The Kimmel Center is the recipient of partnership funding through the nationally recognized PNC "Grow Up Great" program to help prepare children from birth to age five for success in school and life. (FREE)

THE BAD PLUS

KIMMEL CENTER PRESENTS

Saturday, February 9, 2019 at 8PM

Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center

The Bad Plus came together at the end of the 20th century and has avoided easy categorization ever since, winning critical hosannas and a legion of fans worldwide with their creativity, unique sound and flair for live performance. The intensely collaborative trio has constantly searched for rules to break and boundaries to cross, bridging genres and techniques while exploring the infinite possibilities of three exceptional musicians working in perfect sync. The band consists of founding members Reid Anderson (bass) and Dave King (drums) and new member, Philadelphia's own, Orrin Evans (piano) - a group of passionate collaborators with no single "leader." Never Stop II is the first full-length release from this lineup, comprised entirely of original music with each member contributing fresh compositions. The New York Times calls it "an exhilarating document" that sparks an exciting new chapter for the iconic group. (Tickets start at $39.50)

JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH Wynton Marsalis

KIMMEL CENTER PRESENTS

Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 7PM

Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (JLCO) comprises 15 of the finest jazz soloists and ensemble players today. Led by Wynton Marsalis, Jazz at Lincoln Center Managing and Artistic Director, this remarkably versatile orchestra performs a vast repertoire ranging from original compositions and Jazz at Lincoln Center-commissioned works to rare historic compositions and masterworks by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Charles Mingus, and many others. (Tickets start at $55.00)

Lawrence Brownlee, TENOR; Eric Owens, BASS-BARITONE; AND CRAIG TERRY, PIANO

PHILADELPHIA CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY

Friday, February 22, 2019 at 7:30PM

Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center

A program featuring one half of opera arias by Mozart, Donizetti, Verdi, and Bizet and one half of traditional spirituals, American popular songs, and gospel favorites. Two of today's most sought-after vocalists unite for an evening of unforgettable music-making. Philadelphia native and opera superstar Eric Owens "speaks to you even in his silences... and shakes you when he sings" (Chicago Sun-Times) while Lawrence Brownlee-recently named "Male Singer of the Year" by the International Opera Awards-is indisputably one of the world's leading Bel Canto tenors. (Tickets start at $30.00)

ONCE IN A HUNDRED YEARS - THE LIFE & LEGACY OF MARIAN ANDERSON

Saturday, February 23, 2019 at 7:30PM

Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center

Once in a Hundred Years shares the story of Marian Anderson, a young girl from South Philadelphia who, armed with only a voice, fought to break down one of the most daunting barriers closed to black Americans in the 1930s-the classical music stage. Directed by Bill Nicoletti, the film traces the arc of Anderson's life. Her struggles against racism, poverty, and her quest for equality to be heard throughout the world. Culminating with her battle against the Daughters of the American Revolution which led to her historic concert at The Lincoln Memorial with the assistance of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The World premiere at the Kimmel takes place within a stone's throw from where Marian was born, and on the same street where her plaque is embossed in The Philadelphia Walk of Fame.

BRYAN STEVENSON

PHILADELPHIA SPEAKER SERIES

Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center

Monday, February 25, 2019 at 8PM

As founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, Stevenson has challenged bias in the criminal justice system and helped achieve court decisions that prohibit sentencing children to death or life imprisonment without parole. His memoir Just Mercy was on Time Magazine's "10 Best Books of Nonfiction."

Ongoing Kimmel Center Education Department Programming:

*JAZZ4FREEDOM

KIMMEL CENTER EDUCATION

Various spaces, Kimmel Center

February 4-6, 2019

4th graders experience a pre-show class, attend a MLK celebration concert, and enjoy a post-show class exploring the civil rights movement through Jazz.

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, The Kimmel Center's mission is to operate a world-class performing arts center that engages and serves a broad audience through diverse programming, arts education, and community outreach. The Kimmel Center campus is comprised of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, SEI Innovation Studio, and the Merck Arts Education Center), the Academy of Music (owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association), and the Merriam Theater. The Kimmel Center is also home to eight Resident Companies: The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, The Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philly POPS, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and Curtis Institute of Music. TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is the season sponsor of the Kimmel Center's 2018-2019 Season. American Airlines is the official airline of Broadway Philadelphia. For additional information, visit www.kimmelcenter.org.